Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 04/07/2003

Dear Sgt. Shaft, 
I would just like to let you and the armed forces know that I pray for them to have a safe and victorious battle. May God bless you all!

Tommy Garrett 
Baton Rouge, LA

Dear Tommy,
In a missive, Benjamin Franklin once said, "There never was a good war or a bad peace.” All who have seen combat totally agree with this statement. However, the comments were made hundreds of years before the September 11 terrorist acts. It is incumbent upon President Bush and the U S Congress to heed President Lincoln’s words to care for those who have borne the mother of all battles, and for their spouses and orphans.

Dear Sgt. Shaft,
Please ask your readers to take a moment from their busy lives. Whether or not you agree with the war, whether you are a religious person or not... please take a moment during your busy day and every day to think about those men and women who willingly serve our country. Think about the sons, daughters, uncles, aunts, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers that are awaiting "orders,” orders that will change their lives. Pray for them, think of them, support them and help in some small way to let them know we care about them.

Now, more than ever before (that my son is 18 and registered for the draft), I feel the fear, pain, sadness and concern for my fellow citizens... the military. I did not know the fear that mothers and fathers felt before. My dad was in the military: I was proud, and still am, but had no idea the hurt that parents feel in their hearts knowing that their sons and daughters were "eligible" for action.

Hold your children, love them, care for them. If you don't have kids, think about the kids in your family. Please, please, please tell someone today that you care about them and think about those who defend our freedom. They don't question the politics, they defend our lives.

To them I say a big resounding THANK YOU!!! WE LOVE YOU!! WE SUPPORT YOU AND WE CARE!!!

Marlene F.
Palo Alto, CA

Dear Marlene,
I ask my fellow members of the Marine Corps family to bow their head and quietly recite the following prayer:

"O Lord, we have long known that prayer should include confession. Therefore, on behalf of the Marines, 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 believing that they are their brother’s keeper and responsible for the Marine on their flank.
They have been seen standing when colors pass, singing the National Anthem at ball games, 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 their country can do for them.
They take the Pledge of Allegiance to heart and believe that their 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 more can you expect: They’re Marines!"

Dear Sarge, 
How can my family contact service personnel so that we can keep in touch with letters, or send personal items like batteries, paperback books, snacks, or whatever. We don't personally know anyone who has been deployed but want to let these men and women know how much we appreciate what they are doing.

Linda D.

Dear Linda:
Due to security concerns, general packages of miscellaneous items are prohibited from being sent to our troops serving in the Gulf. I suggest you and members of your family call your local VA or military hospital and ask what you can do to help here in the States. As I mentioned in last week’s column, people can send greeting via the Internet. (www.defendamerica.mil/nmam). I encourage you and other Americans to volunteer, volunteer, volunteer.

Dear Sgt. Shaft: 
I'm a 'Nam vet rated 100% unemployable due to PTSD. What medical benefits is my wife eligible for, and how do I get her 'plugged' into the system, so to speak? 

Tom C. 
Gaithersburg MD

Dear Tom:
The spouse or child of a totally disabled veteran not covered by TRICARE is eligible for CHAMPVA. Under this program-, the VA pays part of the cost of medical care. Additional information or application can be made by calling 1-800-733-8387, or on the web at www.va.gov/hac/champva/champva.html.

Shaft Kudos
America's veterans won significant funding increases for FY 2004 in the final negotiations before passage of the House Republican budget. Rep. Chris Smith, Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee credited Budget Chairman Jim Nussle with working through the 11th hour to ensure that veterans health care programs would be increased and funding for veterans benefits (including compensation for service-connected disabled veterans) would be held harmless from any across-the-board spending reductions.

"After further discussions with Chairman Nussle and the leadership, I am pleased that we have reached agreement so that this year's budget will raise funding for veterans' health care by at least $1.8 billion over the Administration's request for FY 04," Rep. Smith said. (The Senate budget provides a 12.9% increase over this year's funding level for veterans' health benefits -- the highest spending ever in this area.) "Furthermore, it will allow us to fully meet our commitments to more than 2.6 million disabled veterans and widows who rely on VA benefit checks every month. There will be no cut in veterans' benefits as first proposed," he added.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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