Honoring Our Fallen Troops

When the number of U.S. troops who died in Operation Iraqi Freedom grew to 2,000, many Americans felt the toll. The occasion was marked with a moment of silence in the Senate, a reading of the names of the fallen from the House floor, and a number of tributes by ordinary citizens across the nation. One of those citizens, Anne Kirkpatrick (above), added new flags to a memorial honoring U.S. servicemembers at the Somers Congregational Church in Somers, Conn.

The mark was reached when Staff Sgt. George T. Alexander Jr., 34, of Killeen, Texas, died Oct. 22 from injuries sustained earlier in the week when a roadside bomb detonated near his Bradley fighting vehicle in Samarra.

Since the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, U.S. troops have been dying at about 800 a year, with most killed in action trying to put down an insurgency. More than 90 percent of the deaths have come after President George W. Bush declared an end to major combat operations May 1, 2003. More than 15,000 U.S. servicemembers have been wounded in the conflict, including some 8,000 who were able to return to duty within 72 hours.

Got Your Back

MOAA President Vice Adm. Norb Ryan Jr., USN-Ret., presented the first MOAA Ombudsman Award to Susan Perrin of Houston at the 2005 Leadership Training Conference sponsored by the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve in Washington, D.C.

Ryan recognized Perrin’s mediation and arbitration efforts and ability to resolve issues arising between protected citizens, servicemembers, and their employers regarding the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. The award consists of a certificate, an engraved crystal cube, and a check for $1,000.

Perrin teaches and writes about arbitration matters and has resolved many reemployment cases successfully.

In Review

Lightning Strike: The Secret Mission to Kill Admiral Yamamoto and Avenge Pearl Harbor By Donald A. Davis. St. Martin’s Press, 2005. $25.95. ISBN 0-312-30906-6.

During World War II, Japanese Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto (1884-1943) was considered “the one man in Japan who was capable of bringing the United States to its knees,” despite arguing vehemently against Japan going to war with America.

Donald Davis’ Lightning Strike is both a fascinating biography and thrilling wartime drama about a brilliant and dynamic naval officer who had more enemies than friends, who created a powerful aircraft carrier-based imperial navy, and who was the most feared and most hated enemy commander in the Pacific.

Davis describes the attack on Pearl Harbor and other stunning Japanese naval victories, as well as how U.S. Navy intelligence and Army Air Corps pilots collaborated to pull off the war’s most amazing, lucky, and controversial aerial assassination in the skies over Bougainville in April 1943.

The Gift of Valor By Michael M. Phillips. Broadway Books, 2005. $19.95. ISBN
0-7679-2037-6.

Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Phillips’ debut book, The Gift of Valor, is probably the most dramatic and emotional book yet written about the war in Iraq. Phillips served four tours in Iraq with the Third Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment.

The Gift of Valor tells the stunning story of one Marine infantry squad leader’s heroism and tragic death and the impact both events had on his family and his men. Cpl. Jason Dunham of Scio, N.Y., led a foot patrol in the western Iraq city of Husaybah in April 2004. During an ambush and furious firefight, he smothered an enemy grenade and was grievously wounded, saving two Marine lives.

Phillips’ narrative is graphic and gruesome, sensitive and powerful, telling of combat leadership and courage and the desperate eight-day fight by Army and Navy medical personnel vainly trying to save Dunham’s life. Both sad and inspiring, this is a superb tribute to America’s armed forces.

— William D. Bushnell
 

Don’t Fall for It!

The VA is warning veterans not to give credit card numbers over the phone to callers claiming to update VA prescription information. The latest scam, currently centered in the Midwest, comes from callers who identify themselves as working for the “Patient Care Group.” They say the VA recently changed procedures for dispensing prescriptions and ask for the veteran’s credit card number.

For more information, contact the nearest VA medical center or call toll-free (877) 222-8387.

Coming Home to Work

The VA has announced a new initiative called “Fulfilling the Commitment — Coming Home to Work” that will help veterans make the transition from military service to civilian life. “All Americans can be grateful for the service and sacrifice of the men and women of our armed forces,” says VA Secretary R. James Nicholson. “The VA is committed to assisting these young heroes in the transition from military life to the civilian workforce through a wide-ranging array of programs.”

The initiative will combine the efforts of federal, state, and private-sector entities to ensure that separating Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans will have employment opportunities when they return home. The initiative focuses on linking servicemembers to existing resources through local and regional job markets. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in the first three quarters of 2005, almost 15 percent of veterans in the 20- to 24-year-old age group were unemployed, nearly three times the national rate.

Open for Business

Want to shop at the commissary? Now you can with your computer! Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) officials say the Virtual Commissary now offers the new option of Internet shopping for authorized users.

“We’re excited about DeCA’s first adventure into the world of Internet shopping,” says Patrick Nixon, CEO and acting director for DeCA.

Those items found in the Virtual Commissary also can be found on store shelves, but they will be packaged into gift and special occasion baskets with titles such as Camouflage, Drill Sergeant, and Touch of Home. The baskets offer assortments of crackers, canned cheeses, cookies, candies, and beverages. In the future, the number of products available through the Internet will grow, allowing deployed servicemembers, retirees, and other authorized shoppers to order things they want and need at commissary price savings, no matter where they live.

Right Around the Corner

Looking for financial aid to help fund your child’s education? Apply today for one of the MOAA Educational Assistance programs. Now is the time! The application for the 2006-2007 school year is available at www.moaa.org/education. But hurry! The deadline is March 1, 2006, noon Eastern time.

A Place to Honor Disabled Veterans

Veterans who have been wounded face many challenges — learning to live without sight or the use of limbs, retiring from the only career they’ve ever known, and dealing with emotional scars. A new memorial planned in Washington, D.C., will honor the dedication and bravery of those permanently disabled veterans and express the nation’s gratitude for their sacrifice.

The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial will occupy a 2-acre site adjacent to the National Mall, within full view of the U.S. Capitol. The focal point of the marble and glass memorial will be a star-shaped reflecting pool with an eternal flame rising from its center. A grove of trees will stand sentry-like beside the pool. The Disabled Veterans Life Memorial Foundation is raising the estimated $65 million in private funds needed to build and maintain the memorial.

Miscellany: Patriotic Pics and Diet Quicks

Photo Contest: Submit your photos by March 15, 2006, for the Military Officer patriotic photo contest in four categories: camaraderie, military family, on duty, and vintage. First-place winners receive $500. Download an entry form at www.moaa.org/magazine/photocontest.pdf.

Nutrition Notes: If you’re thinking about those New Year’s resolutions and looking for some healthy recipes to fit your diet, whether it’s low-carb, low-fat, or low-calorie, visit MOAA’s Web Base at www.moaa.org and click on Health and Wellness under Services.

New Year, New Limits

The tax year 2006 brings a welcome increase to IRA contribution limits. Contribution limits for both traditional and Roth IRAs are $4,000 a person. Individuals who are age 50 or older can take advantage of a special “catch-up” provision to contribute another $1,000.

If you are covered by another retirement plan, such as the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) or a 401(k)-type plan, fully deductible traditional IRA contributions can be made for single filers (including head-of-household) with an adjusted gross income (AGI) up to $50,000. Those married, filing jointly, get a full deduction with an AGI up to $75,000. Full Roth IRA contributions can be made for single filers up to $95,000 AGI and joint filers up to $150,000.

Scholarship Spotlight

Mark Landis is attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to earn a master’s degree in educational psychology. He also works part-time as a substitute teacher.

Where did you get your undergraduate degree? I graduated in 2005 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I majored in education.

What awards did you receive? I had a 4.0 grade point average in the School of Education, was on the Dean’s List, and graduated with honors. I also am a member of Pi Lambda Theta, an honor society and professional education association.

Do you do any volunteer work? I’ve been a Little League umpire, a soccer referee, served meals to the needy, assisted Special Olympics, volunteered at a bilingual school in Milwaukee, and worked at a community center.

How has The Scholarship Fund of MOAA helped you? My loans are interest-free, and I don’t have to start paying them back until I complete graduate school. In 2004, I received the Gladys Simpson Designated Scholarship Award. I wrote a thank-you letter, and Colonel Simpson [who established the scholarship in his wife’s name] wrote back. He made my day.

What are your plans? I want to become a middle school or high school counselor. I want to help students who are diverse in culture, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity so they have a bright future.

— Kris Ann Hegle

MOAA Opens Pentagon Office

There’s a new, but not so young, kid on the block. Late in 2005, MOAA opened a satellite office on the Pentagon Concourse that it shares with the Armed Forces Services Corporation. With this presence, MOAA can better serve its members who work in the Pentagon, whether they are still in uniform or retired but supporting DoD in some way.

In addition to normal MOAA services, the association will host monthly presentations in the Pentagon. There will be briefings from MOAA’s transition services, Benefits Information, and Legislative Affairs departments and a guest lecture series — everything for the serious military professional. Stop by the next time you’re there!