June 6, 1944

Growing up in the 60s and 70s I was a typical farm kid. I fed cows, carried firewood, hauled hay, picked blackberries, weeded the huge vegetable garden, fished and swam when I could sneak away. I never remember being particularly in awe of my father back then, he just seemed like "Dad" He was one of those dads right out of the 40s and 50s tv shows--because he believed in those values and still does.

Dad and I frequently fought about everything back then, he just seemed like a dinosaur from the "dark ages" and I was an up and coming women's libber of the first degree! He just didn't get things like equality for women and freedom. He couldn't possibly understand the concept of freedom. What would an old "dino" like him know about the struggle of women in the 1970's to be free from the male dominated society...

I am ashamed to admit it now, but back then it never occurred to me that I was living with a man who had the courage to drive an LST onto the beaches of Normandy during the D-Day invasion. He never mentioned it to me in all my eighteen years of living at home. I think I was in my late 20's before I ever found out and it wasn't until just a few years ago I actually got him to sit down and talk to me about those years of WWII. I suppose, for a man like my father, there are just some things a father doesn't tell his daughter and I respect that about him.

I have some of his stories from those years on video and I will share them with my sons and their sons. They must know of the bravery and courage of these men! I shudder to imagine what our world would look like if not for their courage and determination to stand brave and true against the Nazi machine.

Today, I am proud to admit that my father was among those who took that stand. By the time 1944 rolled around, my father was already a combat hardened veteran of 21. He was in it for the "duration". My father is one of those men for whom the words duty, honor, and country are not a curse, but a privilege.

So, even though this is a day late, I honor and salute those veterans who did the unimaginable that day...and created for us a world of freedom from tyranny. It is up to us now to hold on to that freedom or lose it. But, the heroes of my father's age have done more than their fair share.
THANK YOU DAD!

The President Wants Wounded Warriors to Pay

The president has a great new idea to raise $540 million. He wants to force our military men and women to pay for their service connected injuries and disabilities through private insurance. I am sure that will be a marvelous recruiting slogan “Join the Army, Serve your nation… just don’t get hurt because then you will be on your own for healthcare.”

Doesn’t anyone in Obama’s inner circle say stuff like –“Sir, this is a really bad, bad idea.”? Or maybe, “Wow, you want men and women to volunteer to place themselves in harm’s way, AND pay for their medical care, good luck with that one sir.”

Surely, we can find another place to get money besides out of our service member’s pockets when we already ask them to bear an enormous load both physically and emotionally. Oh, hey! I know, how about we take back saaaay....around $540 million back from the AIG bunch instead?


==============================

Contact: Craig Roberts of The American Legion, +1-202-263-2982 Office, +1-202-406-0887 Cell

WASHINGTON, March 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The leader of the nation's largest veterans organization says he is "deeply disappointed and concerned" after a meeting with President Obama today to discuss a proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who have suffered service-connected disabilities and injuries. The Obama administration recently revealed a plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in such cases.

"It became apparent during our discussion today that the President intends to move forward with this unreasonable plan," said Commander David K. Rehbein of The American Legion. "He says he is looking to generate $540-million by this method, but refused to hear arguments about the moral and government-avowed obligations that would be compromised by it."

The Commander, clearly angered as he emerged from the session said, "This reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate ' to care for him who shall have borne the battle' given that the United States government sent members of the armed forces into harm's way, and not private insurance companies. I say again that The American Legion does not and will not support any plan that seeks to bill a veteran for treatment of a service connected disability at the very agency that was created to treat the unique need of America's veterans!"