Letters

Mr. Ron Brackett:

I received the following message, address to you, from the military retiree grass roots group e-mail network. I wholeheartedly agree with what LT. COLONEL (ret) ROBERT V. SMOAK, SR. wrote. The military retirees of this nation did indeed sacrifice much in service to their country. There are a million stories just like his that need to be told. I recommend that you take a long hard look at what Colonel Smoak wrote.

Floyd Sears, MSGT, USAF, 1951 to 1971 (retired)
http://mrgrg-ms.org/

----- Original Message -----

From: Robert V. Smoak Sr

To: brackett@sptimes.com

Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 10:58 AM

Subject: ww2

Mr. Ron Brackett: Sir, I saw your recent article in the St Pete TImes about WWII articles you were asking for. I was immediately drawn to your SACRIFICES category. SACRIFICE means, among other things, to give up something extremely valuable for something else of great importance, such as control of one's own life and activities for a military way of life, in exchange for some great promises made by the US Navy recruiter I refer to below: Those promises have never been satisfied so I feel as though I sacrificed much, satisfied my contract with the military, and they have not held up their end of the contract. Please do not make up your mind as to whether or not this fits under the heading of 'SACRIFICE' until you have read the entire email. I would appreciate that very much.

You probably will not believe what you are about to read, but I swear it is all true. This could be a HUGE story since it is not just about me alone but about 1.8 million military RETIREES who are being swindled. If you do nothing else, PLEASE go to the web site shown below and the narrated story will amaze you. The Congress is definitely confused about the difference between a military RETIREE and a military VETERAN. It is readily apparent when they talk about the expenses associated with the cost of supporting VETERANS and RETIREES. RETIREES were promised much more regarding health care than were VETERANS.

VETERANS ARE JUST AS ENTITLED TO WHAT THEY WERE PROMISED AS RETIREES ARE ENTITLED TO WHAT THEY WERE PROMISED. Each were promised different things. VETERANS (SEVERAL MILLIONS now) were promised treatment in VA Hospital or Clinics for service connected disabilities or conditions; dependents were not to be covered. RETIREES (only about 1.8 million) were promised SUPERB military health care for themselves and eligible dependents in military treatment facilities free for the rest of their lives if they served at least 20 years in the military service.

We need all of the exposure we can get outlining this problem primarily to Congress, but also to the American people. We RETIREES have developed our own mail/email program of sending what we call BROWN BAG letters to Congressmen/women. So far we have mailed over 37000 bringing this problem to their attention. So far 178 have agreed to cosponsor HR 602 but we have a long way to go.

Underwsecretary David S. C. Chu said the cost of retiree and survivor benefits has "gotten to the point where they are hurtful. They are taking away from the nation's ability to defend itself" Here he is saying RETIREES when he should be saying VETERANS.

Category: SACRIFICES:

I joined the US Navy in 1946 after graduating from High School. I was uncertain as to what I would study in High School. After I went to the Recruiting Station to consider joining the Navy I was told about all of the benefits that would accrue if I made the military a career by serving at least 20 years. One of the things that reallly excited me was a promise that has never been kept. I was told that if I became a RETIREE (at least 20 years service) instead of a Veteran - less than 20 years service but with an honorable discharge - I and my eligible dependents would receive free health care for life WITHOUT ANY COST TO ME!!!!. I RETIRED 36 years later and the promise still lhas not been kept. I am not talking just about me, but all other RETIREES.

William O. Schism and Robert L. Reinlie sued in Federal court to try to get what we were promised. The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, in the process of finding against these RETIREES vs the UNITED STATES, case number 99-1402, has said: ..."They served their country for at least 20 years with the understanding that when they retired they and their dependents would receive full free health care for life. The promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon. Schism and Reinlie gave their life to the military and fulfilled their CONTRACT. Again, however, because no authority existed in the first place and because Congress has never ratified or acquiesced to this promise, we have no alternative but to uphold the judgment againt the retirees' breach-of-contract claim" RECRUITERS, and other military personnel, legal representatives of the US Government, have continued from WWII up through the early 1990's to make this claim of free health care for life. It helped them reach their recruiting goals - but not lately!!!

When I retired in 1981 I was on a CHAMPUS (Civilian Health &* Medical Program for Uniformed Services. I don't remember the details of that program but. I CLEARLY remember what happened when I turned 65. I was told I had to go on Medicare, pay the Medicare Part B medical premium plus buy a very expensive Medicare Supplement, or I had the option of joining an HMO. FREE MEDICAL CARE???!!!

THINK ABOUT THIS. If while serving their country, members of the Armed Forces were led to believe that when they retired they and their dependents would receive full free health care for life, and the promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon, and later denied because Congress has never ratfied or acquiesced to this promise, the the United States Government is guilty of the greatest swindle of all time...a broken contract with America's military retirees. No wonder some of the military services are now not meeting their recruiting quotas. See the full "swindle" story on the Internet via a series of narrated web pages starting at http://mrgrg-ms.org/swindle00.html.

Military retirees William O. Schism and Robert L. Reinlie sought justice in the United States Court system, and justice was denied. The court, in an apologetic manner, has now passed the buck to the Congress by saying that "Perhaps Congress will consider using its legal power to address the moral claims raised by Schism and Reinlie on their own behalf, and indirectly for other affected RETIREES."

Big headlines in the St. Pete Times this week read: "U.S. to pay $1-billion for illegals' health care"!!!!!! One BILLION DOLLARS - it seems illegal aliens are now a higher priority than RETIREES - HOW DO YOU THINK THIS MAKES US FEEL? Those of us who are still alive feel like third or fourth class citizens. In this article, it states "Members of Congress from border states like Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., had sought the money,,,Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, said she was pleased that the money was being made available, enen as she called for new efforts to "secure our borders". Later on, "The federal government is finally acknowledging that it has a responsibility to pay for health care provided to illegal immigrants" WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SAME RESPONSIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICAN-BORN CITIZENS WHO GAVE UP THEIR FREEDOM TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY FOR 20 YEARS OR MORE???????:

THE MILITARY RETIREE GROUP, AFFECTED BY THE ABOVE COURT RULING, IS NOW SEEKING JUSTICE VIA THE "KEEP OUR PROMISE TO AMERICA'S MILITARY RETIREES ACT" LADIES AND GENTLEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS, THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT IS GUILTY OF THE GREATEST SWINDLE OF ALL TIME...A BROKEN CONTRACT WITH AMERICA'S MILITARY RETIREES... AND IT'S UP TO YOU TO CORRECT THIS INJUSTICE VIA HR 602 AND S407.

Talk about SACRIFICE

ROBERT V. SMOAK, SR.

LT. COLONEL, USAF, RETIRED

962 VICTOR HERBERT DRIVE

LARGO FL 33771

727-538-9215