2006 VFW Magazine - Veterans of Foreign Wars

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contents SPECIAL ISSUE All the major current issues important to contemporary vets are addressed in this single magazine edition. It is a tribute to Afghanistan and Iraq vets re-entering the civilian world. 10 Society & the Soldier How a society receives and treats its citizens in uniform during and after a war says much about its own values. What does it mean when so few are willing to serve • By R.K. Kolb 12 Portraying Contemporary War Vets in Popular Culture The mass media largely shapes the way the public views America’s warriors. Every form of communication, from newspaper headlines to TV shows, determines how. • By R.K. Kolb 14 A GI Bill for the 21st Century Veterans seeking a higher education require a new GI Bill . • By Suzanne Mettler 16 Caring for the Wounded in the Long Haul State-of-the-art facilities for the severely wounded are now in operation. But full funding for VA health care and vital research is an annual ordeal. • By Janie Blankenship 19 GI Death and Life Insurance Benefits More Equitable The fight for greater Imminent Danger Pay, a decent death gratuity and adequate life insurance proved formidable. • By Shannon Hanson 20 Confronting the Emotional Toll Psychological disorders are one of the enduring costs of war. • By Shannon Hanson 22 State Benefits for National Guard and Veterans Vary Programs for mobilized National Guard members and state VA benefits for returning resident-vets cover the gamut. Illinois stands out as a model to emulate. • By Kara Petrovic 24 Recognizing and Remembering Today’s Warriors After a fight, the appropriate medals were created. But now the battle must begin for a national memorial in the capital region. • By Kara Petrovic 29 War Literature Abounds Books about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are quickly appearing. • By Joe Moran 30 VFW Magazine’s Coverage of the War on Terrorism This handy index includes more than 150 articles. • By Joe Moran COLUMNS 3 Command Post Advocating for today’s veterans 8 Washington Wire Legislative: 2007 VA Budget Increase for Recent War Wounded; VA Co-Pay, Enrollment Fees Opposed Service: Modernizing the GI Bill for All War Veterans Security: Armor Upgrading; Iraq Vets Suffer Hearing Loss DEPARTMENTS 4 Mail Call 5 Now Hear This Iraq MIA: Sgt. Matt Maupin 6 Issues Up Front Employment efforts 26 Young Vets in Focus Four triple amputees 27 VFW in Action Post generosity 28 Sound Off Public troop support 31 Membership Appealing to the younger set COVER: Clockwise from lower left: Iraq vets from Post 7356 in Parkville, Mo., are John Nonnemaker, Mark Cathcart, Sarah Bergman and Josh Peters. Peters was wounded by a roadside bomb in July 2003. Photo by Mark McCabe 2 • WWW.VFW.ORG • © 2006 VFW Magazine
commandpost Advocating for Today’s Veterans © Thousands of veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq have been discharged into civilian life. We all have an obligation to welcome them home. VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS VFW magazine is the official publication of the VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES. Copyright, 2006, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. VFW MAGAZINE STAFF PUBLISHER,DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Richard K. Kolb ART DIRECTOR Robert Widener ASSOCIATE EDITOR Shannon Hanson CIRCULATION MANAGER Robert Crider www.vfw.org SENIOR EDITOR Tim Dyhouse SENIOR WRITER Janie Blankenship EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE Kara Petrovic VFW: The Organization VFW's National Headquarters is located in Kansas City, Mo. All administrative business is conducted from there. In addition, an office in Washington, D.C., is responsible for monitoring legislative and related national issues of importance to veterans. More than 8,500 Posts comprise 54 Departments in the 50 states, District of Columbia, Latin America, the Pacific Areas and Europe. Posts form the local chapters. Membership in 2006 stood at 1.7 million. Working in concert with VFW is its Ladies Auxiliary, a national volunteer service association founded in 1914. It is the backbone of many local VFW volunteer efforts. The benefits of joining are both tangible and intangible. As a member, you will receive VFW magazine monthly and may also obtain the bimonthly newsletter Checkpoint. Also, 20 benefits ranging from discounted car rental fees to a credit union to a special Member Honor Roll are available. Equally important is the sense of camaraderie and pride you will share with veterans of prior wars. For more on Membership, contact: Jim Rowoldt, Director VFW Membership Department VFW National Headquarters 406 W. 34th Street Kansas City, MO 64111 (816) 756-3390, ext. 208 This issue is a special tribute to America’s newest generation of war veterans. As you read it, you will find that it completely covers every aspect of the contemporary veteran’s experience. Whether he or she served in Afghanistan, Iraq or some remote theater of the global war on terrorism, this edition is designed to recognize and respect their services. In his State of the Union message, President Bush declared,“Our own generation is in a long war against a determined enemy.” A Joint Chiefs of Staff officer added,“This war is likely to take a while and will require both the commitment of significant resources and the resolve of the American people.” Part of that commitment lies on the home front. That’s where VFW enters the picture. Supporting the troops while they are in the field does not end our obligation. In many respects, the real battle continues once that uniform comes off.“I served two tours in Afghanistan,” one veteran wrote, but “coming home can be more difficult than going over.” Iraq veteran and author John Crawford observed: “When the war is over, you pick up your gear, walk down the hill and back into the world, where people smile, congratulate you and secretly hope you won’t be a burden on society now that you’ve done the dirty work they shun.” COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF Gary Kurpius We exist as an organization to see to it that the “burden” Crawford speaks of remains a public commitment. I am proud to say that VFW continues to fulfill its duty in this regard on every front. Welcome home events are a common feature of VFW troop-support activities. We are ever vigilant that their service be portrayed in a positive light. We have sought a GI Bill commensurate with the costs of attending college in the 21st century. Promoting employment opportunities and protecting job rights are part and parcel of VFW’s mission. Caring for the wounded has been the top priority from the start. Nothing less than full funding for state-of-the-art medical facilities and in-depth research is acceptable. Top-notch PTSD centers and adequate disability compensation has always been our goal. VFW vigorously fought for and won appropriate Imminent Danger Pay, a decent death “gratuity” and life insurance that was previously grossly inadequate. At the state grassroots level, VFW members work diligently seeing that state VA benefits keep pace with the changing times. Recognizing and commemorating war service in the form of medals and memorials has been on our list, too. Soon, veterans of the “long war,” as it is being called, will assume responsibility for VFW’s future. Let’s leave them a legacy to be proud of. © 2006 VFW Magazine • WWW.VFW.ORG • 3
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2006 VFW Magazine - Veterans of Foreign Wars

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