"[Federal Register: October 9, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 197)][Notices]
[Page 59613]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09oc08-63]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Air Force
Active Duty Service Determinations for Civilian or Contratual
Groups
SUMMARY: On September 24, 2008, the Secretary of the Air Force, acting
as Executive Agent of the Secretary of Defense, determined that the
service of the group known as the “Vietnamese Citizens Who Served in
Vietnam Under Contract With the U.S. Armed Forces and Were Assigned to
Reconnaissance Teams and Exploitation Forces Within the Military
Assistance Command, Studies and Observations Group (MACVSOG), Ground
Operations OP-35, Command and Control (C&C), From January 1964 to April
1972.”
Shall not be considered “active duty” for purposes of all laws
administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Mr. James D. Johnston at the
Secretary of the Air Force Personnel Council (SAFPC); 1535 Command
Drive, EE Wing, 3d Fl.; Andrews AFB, MD 20762-7002.
Bao-Anh Trinh,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-23966 Filed 10-8-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-05-P"
This is a disgrace. How much would it really cost to provide these comrades with the same VA benefits every other US servicemen get? Didn’t we finally give those benefits to our loyal Filipino comrades from WWII? And who noticed the irony of the name of the AF Federal Register Liaison Officer?
You may not have heard that in the British courts last week, a decision was made in favour of Ghurka soldiers who had completed long service for the British Army during WW2 and who were being denied the right to settle in Britain by the Home Office (= Internal Affairs Department). There is a picture of a gathering of these Ghurkas outside the High Court triumphantly celebrating their victory over the mean minded and bigoted bureaucrats of Whitehall. Two of these men were holders of the highest military decoration that can be awarded – the Victoria Cross.
Currently, there is a dispute over an Iraqi who acted as interpreter for the British Army in Basra and who now wants to settle in Britain; his entry is denied because he is judged to be a security risk.
to follow on drongo’s note:
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kol08/article/default.asp?article_id=48994
Interesting that the Air Force was chosen as Executive Agent on this decision. And we wonder why the distrust of the US as an ally!
The Gurkha decision took too long, but came right in the end. Let’s hope Iraqis and Afghans get properly recognized for their hard and dangerous work with US, UK, and NATO forces. Is there any possibility of legal challenge to the USAF decision?
Half a million for AIG executive I&I (intercourse and intoxication), but not a farthing for those who bled for us. That’s the American way!
Unlimited billions for Star Wars, ships and planes that don’t work, and nothing but a kick in the ass for peasants that put their selfsame asses on the line for us. I suppose it’s only to be expected as the natural order of things, but there is no gratitude, honor, dignity or justice in this.
I hope the officers tasked with this decision weren’t late to their golf game.
I suggest that all those involved in arriving at, and approving, this shameful decision embark on a speaking tour of Special Forces Association chapter meetings across the country. Perhaps upon their return to DC, they will have gained the wisdom to right this wrong… if they don’t end up in shallow, unmarked graves along the way.
I would like to add a few points. There is a Lao community in our area that has many veterans that had to make their own way to the US. One of the brighter notes after 9/11 was the American ambassador in Thailand took advantage of the drop in immigration from the Middle East to get visas for many Lao that were in refugee camps in Thailand.
Another point is about four or five years ago George W Bush visited Thailand and took time to meet with a group of Thai veterans that had aided the United States in several wars (including WW1) to thank them for their assistance.
All in all I am disgusted that the US forgets the people that helped it (Great Britain did the same in Burma with the Karen) and has also moved away from its position of attracting opponents to surrender to us “Chieu Hoi” style. It is a poor precedent.
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Thanks
Micheal,