Faces of the Fallen

A new exhibit at Arlington National Cemetery puts in focus the losses suffered by the nation during the war on terrorism. “Faces of the Fallen” features more than 1,300 portraits of servicemembers who have died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The portraits were painted from photos, and more than 200 artists participated in the project.

“To say this is a moving exhibit would be a serious understatement,” says Gen. Richard B. Myers, USAF, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “Words always fall short when we try to describe our respect, sympathy, and profound gratitude to those who have sacrificed everything in the service to our nation. The lesson here is the artists have succeeded where our words have failed.”

The artists used different media, including oil, glass, cloth, and clay, to portray the servicemembers. Some worked from photos taken during ser-vice, while others used family or wedding photos. The portraits include all U.S. servicemembers who have died in combat from October 2001 through November 2004.

More than 1,500 family members gathered in March for the opening of the exhibit at the Women in Military Service to America Memorial at the cemetery. The exhibit will remain there through Veterans Day 2005.

Proper Planning

Recent events, such as the case of Terry Schiavo in Florida, have shown the need for adults of all ages to discuss their wishes about end-of-life care with their families and then put those wishes down in writing.
 
If you want to create a living will, also known as an advance directive or a health care directive, visit the Web site of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization at www.caringinfo.org. Click on “Advance Care Planning.” Then click on “How to Download Your State’s Advance Directives” and enter your name and e-mail address to bring up a customized downloadable form.

Although it can be painful, we owe it to ourselves and our loved ones to make our wishes known. For more on hospice care, read Different Kind of Hope.

You’ve Been Spoofed!

You get a phone call from someone who identifies himself as a police officer investigating a fraud ring preying on elderly homeowners in your local area. You check your caller-ID, and sure enough it shows Hometown USA Police Department. The caller asks you to verify your name, Social Security number, bank account or credit card number, and other personal information. Wanting to be helpful to the authorities, you give out this sensitive personal information. Chances are, you have just been “spoofed.”

Spoofing occurs when a caller uses easily obtainable technology to cause a fictitious identifier to appear on your phone’s caller-ID; it’s become a favorite tool of scam artists. Follow these rules to protect yourself:

• Never give out any personal financial information over the phone to unsolicited callers, regardless of whom they claim to represent.
• Ask for any such request to be submitted to you in writing and for a name and call-back number. Take the extra step to independently verify any such requests.
• Never respond to an unsolicited e-mail inquiry for personal financial information, even if it looks like it is from your bank or is sent following a suspicious phone call.

TRICARE update

Tricare Reserve Select (TRS): TRS, a congressionally authorized premium-based health coverage plan for guardmembers, reservists, and their families that went into effect April 26, allows eligible servicemembers to purchase military health insurance coverage similar to active duty coverage under TRICARE Standard and Extra plans. TRS coverage begins after the servicemember has been released from active duty in exchange for a commitment to continued service in the Guard or Reserve. MOAA has created a fact sheet about TRS, which is available on its Web Base at www.moaa.org/healthcare/trselect.asp. MOAA also will offer a TRS Mediplus supplement to help limit out-of-pocket expenses. Call (800) 247-2192, visit www.moaainsurance.com, or e-mail moaa@marshpm.com.

In Review

Humboldt’s Cosmos: Alexander Von Humboldt and the Latin American Journey That Changed the Way We See the World By Gerard Helferich. Gotham Books, 2004. $27.50. ISBN 1-592-40052-3.

German naturalist and scientist Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) became a scientific celebrity in the early 19th century with his amazing experiments and colorful explorations of Mexico and South America.

Humboldt’s Cosmos is Gerard Helferich’s first book, an intriguing look at the scientific life of the man who discovered the importance of the Humboldt Current in the Pacific Ocean, climbed volcanoes, charted South American rain forests and rivers, and hiked the Andes Mountains during an arduous five-year odyssey of exploration from 1799 to 1804.

Helferich reveals Humboldt to be one of the greatest scientific generalists of the 19th century.

The Great Game: The Myth and Reality of Espionage By Frederick P. Hitz. Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. $22. ISBN 0-375-41210-7.

Espionage not only is the world’s “second oldest profession,” according to former CIA official Frederick Hitz, it also is expensive, dirty, risky — and absolutely essential for national security.

This slim volume is Hitz’s first book, offering a broad analysis of the reality of spying in contrast with the fictional fluff of spy novels. The literary approach is cute, but Hitz is at his best when discussing the real world of spies, handlers, bureaucracies, and all the things that can go wrong.

With an insider’s perspective, Hitz tells about recruiting spies, manipulation, and the importance of a good bottle of scotch. He also provides fascinating insights into the nasty world of counterintelligence, double agents, and traitors such as Aldrich Ames, Robert Hanssen, and Jonathan Pollard.

His observations on spy tradecraft (the black art), technology, terrorism, and spying on friends are compelling, as is his “pick-and-shovel work” view of the future of espionage.

— William D. Bushnell

Mustard Gas Vets

The VA has announced a national outreach campaign to locate veterans who were exposed to mustard gas or the chemical weapon lewisite during their service.

The VA launched an awareness campaign in 1993 about benefits for veterans exposed to chemical warfare materials. This new effort includes direct mailing to veterans newly identified by DoD. Most of these “mustard gas veterans” took part in DoD tests during World War II designed to evaluate clothing, ointments, and equipment that would protect American troops from mustard agent attacks. According to DoD, approximately 4,500 servicemembers were exposed to mustard agents, which include sulfur mustard and nitrogen mustard, and lewisite, a blister-producing chemical that contains organic arsenic.

The VA is mailing information that covers medical and financial benefits, as well as data about the effects of exposure to chemical warfare agents.

Heroes Salute

If you’re looking for a free ride, Anheuser-Busch is offering free single-day theme park admission to members of the U.S. armed forces and their families through a program called “Heroes Salute.” The program is offered at Busch Gardens theme parks in Williamsburg, Va., and Tampa Bay, Fla., and its three Sea World parks in Orlando, Fla.; San Antonio; and San Diego. The program, which began in February, will last through Dec. 31.

Anheuser-Busch has offered similar programs twice before: once after the first Persian Gulf War and again after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. These previous programs gave free admissions to nearly 2 million servicemembers and their families.

“In our own small way, we’re giving something back to the brave men and women and their families who make sacrifices every day for our country,” says August A. Busch IV, president of Anheuser-Busch Inc. “As a salute to America’s heroes, we wish to extend a message of thanks and an invitation.”

The program is open to any servicemember on active duty, active reserve, ready reserve, or in the National Guard, along with up to three direct dependents of qualified servicemembers. So get your free admission ticket and start lining up for those rides!

Attention!

Check out these military-related entertainment offerings.

One Soldier’s Story (HarperCollins Publishers, 2005, $25.95): Sixty years after sustaining life-threatening injuries in battle, former senator Bob Dole shares his World War II story. Dole’s memoir centers on April 14, 1945 — the day he was wounded in a firefight against a fortified German position in the Italian Alps.

Apollo 13 (10th anniversary edition DVD, Universal Studios, 2005, $22.98): This new edition of director Ron Howard’s docudrama about the Apollo 13 crew’s heroic efforts to return home after an explosion damaged their moon-bound craft is released.

A Gift of Valor: A War Story (Doubleday, 2005, $19.95): Based on his Wall Street Journal article, Michael M. Phillips chronicles the story of a young Marine who sacrificed his life for his fellow Marines and became the first American nominated for the Medal of Honor during the Iraq War.

MOAA’s Web Base Gets a Makeover

MOAA’s Web Base now is better than ever! It has a new look and feel with easier navigation so the important information you need is right at your fingertips.

Need information pertaining specifically to you? Use the “My Group” navigation to find the targeted content you need. You’ll find the same valued information you’ve always relied on, from lobbying Congress to educational assistance. You can learn about benefits information and check out MOAA’s products and services.

Visit MOAA online and see for yourself all that the association has to offer. Information from MOAA’s experts is only a click away. MOAA’s Web Base truly is your one-stop resource for timely information on the issues that affect you and your family.

To see the new look at MOAA’s Web Base, go to www.moaa.org.

Spouse Spotlight

Charnette Messé was diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer at the age of 31. The wife of a Navy family practice doctor, she was pregnant with their second child. Her radiologist told her she would not live to see her 3-year-old daughter grow up. Three years later, the cancer is gone and Messé has embarked on a personal crusade to educate other military wives about breast cancer.

You’ve appeared on “Oprah” and spoken to countless military audiences. What motivated you to begin telling your story? I did not want other mothers to ever have to hear the words that I heard and worry they wouldn’t be there to raise their children.

What do you want military families to know about breast cancer? That breast cancer does not discriminate by rank or age. Most people think, “It can’t happen to me. I’m too young.” That’s not true. At our hospital, I’m one of five women under 40 who have had breast cancer.

How did you find out you had breast cancer? I found a lump under my arm a few months after my annual breast exam. My family doctor at the time did not think it was cancer. I had to insist on having a mammogram done, and to be safe my doctor included an ultrasound, which is now highly recommended for women under the age of 40.

Where can women go to find more information about breast cancer? I have a list of resources on my Web site for military families at www.charnettemesse.com, which includes the three major military hospitals that have breast health centers.

— Rob Newell

Mission: Child Care

National Guard and Reserve and active duty military families with servicemembers serving in the war on terrorism soon will get some help with child care, thanks to a joint initiative between DoD and the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA). Operation: Military Child Care will provide financial relief and assistance locating quality child care for eligible military families who do not have access to DoD’s on-base child care options. A large number of families, particularly Guard and Reserve, are not located near bases and must find comparable care in their own communities.

“Child care is among the top concerns we continue to hear from military families across the country,” says M.A. Lucas, director, Army Child and Youth Services.

The program will be administered by a network of NACCRRA members who will walk families through the process of locating a qualified care provider. Once a provider is approved, NACCRRA will provide financial support directly to the provider on behalf of DoD so the servicemembers’ fees can be reduced. The amount of financial assistance will vary for each family and will depend on such factors as total family income, geographical location, and family circumstances.