Our Warmest Wishes For The Holidays - Korean War Veterans ...

Membership Report (12-22-07)
for a Federal Charter by the Military Order
of the Purple Heart, which has also included
the Association in the Annual Congressional
presentations by Veteran Service
Organizations (VSO) having Federal
Charters.
• The Association is no longer in annual
arrears of its obligations to the Veterans Day
National Committee (White House and VA)
or to the International Federation of Korean
War Veterans Associations.
• Additional VSO have expressed support
for KWVA to receive Federal Charter.
• The Association has steadily increased
an outreach to the troops still serving in the
Korean War, numbering among its members
the CINC, UN/Combined Forces/US
Forces, Korea—the first time in KWVA history.
• The Association has been annually
addressed by national leaders of prominence—The
Commandant of the USMC,
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the
Commanding General of Eighth Army, The
Vice President of the US, The Commander
in Chief, US/CF/USFK, and The Korean
Ambassador to the US.
Created An Impressive Volunteer
Service Record
• The Association has amassed almost 1
million hours of volunteer service to the VA
in each of the past two years (VAVS).
• The Association began a certification
course of training of KWVA Veterans
Service Officers in 2007. The Military
Order of the Purple Heart has provided this
training without charge and is doing so
again in 2008 (VSO)
Other Accomplishments
• A National Capitol Area Office, ordered
by the Executive Council in February 2004,
has now been established.
• New emblems, insignia, and other
items have been designed and made available
through the National Capitol Area
Office.
• Renewed support for Memorials honoring
fallen comrades and recognition of
KWVA Founders
• This Administration reinstituted official
support for the maintenance of the
Memorial on the Mall in Washington.
• This Administration restored, published,
and defended honors for
founders Bill Norris and Joe McCallion, and
Honorary President General Raymond
Davis.
• For the first time a National
Convention/Reunion raised significant
funds to support wounded veterans of a current
war- Reno, Nevada, October 25, 2007-
$1407.00.
• For the first time since Bill Norris, a
formal Mission Statement was annunciated
and distributed, and is available on our website.
Other First Time Actions
• A Code of Conduct was developed and
appointees nominated by the President were
required to subscribe to the Code. Other
members agreeing with the Code are also
signing up.
• Another Korea unit joined their reunion
with our reunion in 2006 and 2007—a first
(40th Recon).
The group(s) and individuals discussed
earlier in my friend’s evaluation have vehemently
opposed and lied about virtually
each one of those accomplishments. For
almost two years they even sought to have
me condemned and punished for making
awards to members! And for the record, the
loudest of them vehemently opposed and
often lied about my predecessor during his
legal terms in office. This indicates the presence
of a malignancy transcending the terms
of former President Harley Coon and
myself. They intend to keep on doing so into
the future.
Significantly, none of the individuals
with this malignancy have subscribed to the
Code. And neither of the “early bird” opportunists
recently seeking attention by premature
declarations of candidacy have subscribed
to the Code.
The KWVA has 17,163 members. At this time last year the KWVA had 17, 068. This
is an increase of 95 members. We had 614 members die in 2007.
We now have new KWVA flyers with the KWVA posters on the National Website to
download at www.kwva.org
Jeff Brodeur, , KWVA Membership Committee Chairman
We also have a group of 2 or 3so-called
501 (c)(3) “not-for-profit” charity organizations
publicly slandering us on the internet
and writing and urging others to write
inflammatory lies to Congress, to Eighth
Army, to the Defense Department, and to
state attorneys general about the KWVA.
Several members of this cabal have
already banded together and are advertising
themselves as candidates for the next
Association elections (contrary to the
Bylaws). The notice which I received started
with a lie and went downhill from there.
One of our Directors recently helped
stage a special event for the KWVA in New
York where the scores of members attending
were feted by the ROK Navy. He reported
meeting and listening to three members supporting
the anti-KWVA activities that I have
denounced. He said their common lament
was that, “We don’t have any fun anymore!
We want to go back like it was!”
Those slandering this Administration
have that same old lament, “Let’s go back to
the good old days” when:
• KWVA officers could steal upwards of
$300,000 from the members and never go to
trial.
• $144,000 of the members’ assets were
disposed of for less than $2,000—and no
one answered for it (until 2005)
• officers spent whatever they wanted on
whatever they wanted
• we were not respected and did not
deserve respect due to our conduct
• the Hospitality Room was the first order
of business!
Are these really the “good old days” to
which the membership wants to return?
Yes, I suppose they were the good old
days for the persons referred to by my friend
in his aforementioned comment to me.
Nevertheless, I repeat, concerning this
Administration and our accomplishments—
THIS WE‘LL DEFEND!
Louis T Dechert
National President and Chairman,
KWVA/USA
NOTE: Because of our publishing schedule
you may not receive this edition until
January 2008. Please be assured that the
Administration, the Board of Directors, and
Staff wish for you the blessings of the season
and a very happy 2008.
Lou Dechert.
57
The Graybeards November-December 2007