Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 07/25/2005

Dear Sgt Shaft
I recently received all of the metals my father received during World War II through the National Personnel Records center.

Is there any way you can tell me what valor my Dad performed to be awarded the Bronze Star?

What is the meaning of the Oak Leaf Cluster on the Bronze Star?

Lastly, what is the meaning of the 4 Bronze Star Service Awards on the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal?

I would appreciate your response at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,
Harold R Jr.
Christiansburg, VA 24073

Dear Harold
I appreciated your note sharing that you had received your father’s World War II Medals through the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). The Bronze Star Medal was authorized on February 4, 1944 to all branches of military service and may be awarded for combat heroism not involving aerial flight in connection with military operations against an armed enemy; or while engaged in military operations with an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The Bronze Star Medal may also be awarded for meritorious achievement or meritorious service. The Bronze V which you questioned identifies the award as resulting from an act of combat heroism or Valor thus distinguishing it from meritorious achievement awards. The Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster you asked about indicates that your father was the recipient of two Bronze Star Medals. You can be justly proud of your father.

You also asked about the meaning of Bronze Star Service Awards on the European-African- Middle eastern Campaign Medal. Each Star represents a specific battle campaign in which your father was involved.

You’re going to have to request the specifics for the award of each Bronze Star Medal and the specific battle campaign from your father’s personnel record available at NRPC. Regrettably a lot of information and citations on the battlefield awards did not always make it to the individual’s personnel record. Good luck in your quest for this information.

Shaft Notes
Less than two weeks after seeking $975 million in supplemental funds for veterans’ health care in the current fiscal year, the administration is conceding substantially more money will be needed.

On June 29, the Senate unanimously voted to add $1.5 billion for veterans’ health care to the fiscal 2006 Interior spending measure (HR 2361).

One day later, the administration requested and the House passed a supplemental bill (HR 3130) totaling $975 million for fiscal 2005.

Next, the Senate again unanimously adopted the $1.5 billion amendment — this time as part of the fiscal 2006 Homeland Security appropriations bill (HR 2360).

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, who chairs the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, said she now expects the Senate to call up the House-passed bill soon and amend it to provide about $1.27 billion in extra health care funds in fiscal 2005. She said appropriators are only waiting for the details of the latest VA request.

She said she also expects the administration to ask for an extra $1.6 billion in fiscal 2006.

In the meantime, she said, she and other Senate Republicans will support continuing Democratic efforts to pressure the House into accepting the higher Senate spending figures.

"If we backtrack, if we walk away from $1.5 billion, our vets will be hurt," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., lead sponsor of the amendment.

Congress last year appropriated $28.2 billion for the Veterans Health Administration. President Bush requested only a shade more for fiscal 2006.

Democrats in both the House and the Senate have been calling for higher VA health care spending all year. In the Senate, they have been joined by their Republican counterparts on both the Appropriations and Veterans Affairs committees.

VA officials did not reveal their funding shortfall to Congress until June 23, even though they discovered it in April, prior to the time House appropriators drafted their fiscal 2006 funding bill (HR 2528) for veterans affairs. The House passed that measure on May 26.

VA officials blamed rising health care costs in part on a surge in enrollment by returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom have suffered severe injuries that will require continuing medical care.

The Department of Defense released the latest report of the Air Force Health Study on the health effects of exposure to herbicides in Vietnam, which includes the strongest evidence to date that Agent Orange is associated with adult-onset diabetes. This supports the findings from earlier reports in 1992 and 1997.

The Air Force Health Study summarizes the results of the 2002 physical examination of 1,951 veterans, which is the final examination of the 20-year epidemiological study.

Results from the 2002 physical examination support adult-onset diabetes as the most important health problem seen in the Air Force Health Study. They suggest that as dioxin levels increase, not only are the presence and severity of adult-onset diabetes increased, but the time to onset of the disease is decreased.

The report is available on the Air Force Health Study Web site at: http://www. brooks. af. mil/AFRL/HED/hedb/default. html .

Hutchison said the Senate had already planned to add $1.3 billion for veterans’ health care to the administration’s original fiscal 2006 request. She said she expects the administration’s new request for fiscal 2006 to be another "$1.6 billion or so."

Senate Veterans Affairs Chairman Larry E. Craig, R-Idaho, who said he spoke with VA Secretary Jim Nicholson on Monday, said that supplemental request could arrive later Tuesday.

Hutchison’s subcommittee is scheduled to consider the fiscal 2006 funding bill July 19, followed by full committee consideration July 21.

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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