Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 09/11/2006

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
Let me first begin by thanking you for the tremendous service you provide to our nation's men and women in uniform and their families. I want to share with your readers a letter that a number of my House colleagues and I recently sent to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John W. Warner, Virginia Republican, in support of legislation that you have long endorsed.

In this year's House-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act, Section 905 formally recognizes the indelible contributions made by the U.S. Marine Corps in the fight against global terrorism by redesignating the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps, and changing the title of its secretary to Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps. In the name of these many brave Marines, it's essential that your readers who support this change contact their senator to ask that the Senate retain Section 905 of H.R. 5122.

Sincerely,
Rep. Walter B. Jones
North Carolina Republican

Enclosed from Mr. Warner:

Dear Congressman Jones:
I wholeheartedly endorse the following letter from you and your colleagues.

Dear Chairman Warner:
We are writing to request that you retain Section 905 of H.R. 5122, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2007. This section would designate the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and the Marine Corps and change the title of its secretary to Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps. As a result, this provision would finally provide formal recognition of the Marine Corps' status as an equal partner with the Navy.
The Marine Corps is steeped in tradition, but historically, those traditions are in concert with the Navy. Congress previously declared that there are four branches of the military; however, there are only three departments. Section 905 would finally repair this inequity. ...

Chairman Warner, we believe the time has come to identify the Department of the Navy for what it is, the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps. The Marines fighting today deserve this recognition, and redesignating the service would be the most appropriate way to recognize them.

Signed:
Republican Reps. Walter B. Jones of North Carolina, John Hostettler of Indiana, Ken Calvert of California, Frank A. LoBiondo of New Jersey, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, John Kline of Minnesota, Gil Gutknecht of Minnesota, Vito J. Fossella of New York, Sue Myrick of North Carolina, Ron Paul of Texas and Virginia Foxx of North Carolina.
Democratic Reps. Gene Taylor of Mississippi, Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii, Ellen O. Tauscher of California, Mike McIntyre of North Carolina, Susan A. Davis of California, Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, Gary L. Ackerman of New York, Charlie Gonzalez of Texas, Bill Delahunt of Massachusetts and Allyson Y. Schwartz of Pennsylvania.
Democratic Delegate Madeleine Bordallo of Guam.

Dear Mr. Jones:
I urge my readers and fellow Marines to petition Sen. Warner and bow their heads as they silently voice this special incantation for the passage of this important legislation:

"O Lord, we have long known that prayer should include confession. Therefore, on behalf of the Marines and their guests here gathered, I confess their sins: Lord, they're just not in step with today's society.
"They are unreasonable in clinging to old-fashioned ideas like patriotism, duty, honor and country. They hold radical ideas like believing that they are their brother's keeper and responsible for the Marine on their flank. They have been standing when colors pass, singing the national anthem at ballgames and drinking toasts to fallen comrades.
"Not only that, they have been observed standing tall, taking charge and wearing their hair unfashionably short. They have taken John Kennedy's words too seriously and are overly concerned with what they can do for their country, instead of what this country can do for them.
"They take the Pledge of Allegiance to heart and believe that the oath is to be honored. Forgive them, Lord, for being stubborn men and women who hold fast to such old-fashioned values. After all, what can you expect? They're Marines.
"O Lord our God, bless our misguided ideals, continue to raise up in this nation strong leaders and deliver us from 'me-first' managers and 'don't ask me' followers.
"Be our honored guest this day. Let it be a day of laughter, good food, good drink, and the telling of tall tales and legends that far exceed the truth.
"Watch over and keep safe those who wear this nation's uniform with special attention to their families everywhere.
"Now through this day and all the days ahead, God bless this great Nation and God bless the Corps."

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-257-5446 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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