Reveille
January
1999
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Reveille January 1999 |
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Published by International Press Service
for the Veterans for Good Government
Box 4072, Chattanooga, TN 37405
FAX (423) 698-7803
Pete Chaney, Editor and Publisher
James Tollett, Webmaster
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| Government considers Murfreesboro VA future Senators urged to show wisdom in Impeachgate |
GREG VANDERGRIFF received a belated second Bronze Star during 1997 ceremonies at National Cemetery. The medal was presented to him by Gen. Ray Davis. Greg has been touring area veteran organizations with petitions to keep open the Murfreesboro Veterans Administration Hospital. |
Vets angry over hospital closure By Pete Chaney Long before the Republicans in Congress planned their Contract with America there was another one—the one between America and its veterans. The government said, if you will go and risk your life and future to protect our country, we will take care of you veterans with medical services and other benefits. Looks like the government is trying to welch on the deal with planned closure of the Alvin C. York VA Hospital at Murfreesboro. Plans consider consolidating it with Nashville. This comes at a time when veterans were dreaming of a hospital in Eastern Tennessee in or near Chattanooga. But veterans are not giving up. Petitions, locally led by honored veteran Greg Vandergriff, are being circulated to avoid the closure. “When I had a serious attack and had to be transported to Murfreesboro,” he recalled, “I don’t think I would have lasted to Nashville.” A battle scarred Marine, Greg was honored belatedly in 1997 by presentation of a second Bronze Star. It was presented by Gen. Ray Davis in ceremonies at the National Cemetery. Many veterans wonder why they have to take the heaviest hit whenever there is budget talk. World War II navy man Tom (Peanut) Stanfield often says veterans don’t mind tightening their belts, as long as everyone else is doing the same thing. He felt veterans should not be singled out for economy all the time. |
Whenever a national VFW representative tours Tennessee, Chattanooga is part of the itinerary. Not this year. National Sr. Vice Commander John Smard’s visit bypassed the Scenic City and stopped at Athens Jan. 15. In charge of the tour was state VFW Commander Herschel Sharpe. Chattanooga has some of the state’s most active VFW posts, which include Post 4848 and Post 1289. Some on the tour complained it was a personal matter, saying Commander Sharpe just “doesn’t like Joe Murphy. Joe is an icon at Post 1289. And those on the tour say they look forward to next year, and a chance to enjoy Post 4848’s hospitality. |
The veteran community has lost an active member. George Bolus is dead at 74. He was buried Jan.17 at Hamilton Memorial Gardens. An active participant in the Armed Forces Day Parade for generations, he was military projects officer for the 1998 event. A former Merchant Marine, he was a commodore in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. |
Placement of a plaque honoring the Third Marine Division is being planned for Apr. 17 at the National Cemetery. It will be placed in the Circle of Honor with Gen. Ray Davis scheduled to speak. |
One estimate says 1,000 World War II veterans are dying daily. The Chattanooga Area Veterans Council Honor Guard badly needs volunteers to give those who served a final salute. Anyone who can donate the time can contact Honor Guard Commander Ralph Wilson in Rossville at 866-0138. |
We all must mourn the passing of a Gold Star Mother. Annie Stover has died, according to Dot Stewart who has worked with the Gold Star Mothers along with Terri Frederick and others for years. Sherry Kimbrow spearheaded a Gold Star Mothers organization locally along with annual recognition. Sherry is preparing an internet home page for the Gold Star Mothers which will be featured at a later date on the IPSPRESS.COM web page. |
There is an old political adage: if you have an incompetent dog catcher, councilman or judge, you promote him upward. If he’s bad enough, you send him to Washington where you can get him out of your hair and can’t hurt you. Unfortunately, we seem to have a fill of those in Washington at a time where they are bent on bringing down the country through political brainlock. There is nothing bipartisan in the Impeachgate business. The Republican party Americans had so much faith in has allowed petty hatred of Bill Clinton cloud their judgment. From distributing pornography to so called “voting their conscience,” every excuse for juvenile behavior has been justified. Veterans don’t like Clinton. Our organization supported George Bush and then Bob Dole, two distinguished Americans. Two qualified officeholders. If a vote were held today, most veterans would support Mickey Mouse over Bill Clinton. But a majority of the American people did elect him. He is our President, everyone's President. And he hasn’t done a bad job. We must accept that. It is a pity that the people we sent to Washington will blindly follow their political leadership—be it Republican or Democrat—and use such pale excuses of “conscience” to explain what they know in their mind is logically wrong. They know they are hurting America, but can't get off the downslide. And they are taking us down with them. |
An open letter Senators urged to show wisdom in Impeachgate To: Sen. Fred Thompson Sen. Bill Frist America is bitterly disappointed at the GOP members of the House of Represented we supported and believed their Contract with America. Instead, history will call them the Impeachgate Congress. All of the excuses and warped logic from our representatives will not cover up an obviously partisan effort to remove a President the people elected, the officer the majority of Americans want to continue in office. If some treason or heinous crime had been uncovered, impeachment would have been proper. The cheap tricks of a shyster like Kenneth Starr are unforgivable. To justify his waste of four years and $50-million, he played on Bill Clinton's moral weakness to cover up an extramarital affair, hardly rising to the level of a Watergate or even an Iran contra event. Their careless action has further disillusioned Americans who lose faith in Congress, politicians and the government in general. Only maturity in the Senate can hope to slow this destruction. We ask our senate to exercise the wisdom clearly lacking in the Republican members of the House Please put this embarrassing period in political history behind us. America's future is certainly more important than political bias and a personal vendetta. |
Post Script Somebody ought to find TV 3 a proof reader, or maybe it was Christmas. That’s when their evening news broadcast used E.B.P. for EPB, Electric Power Board. And to report a carjacking story, they spelled it “carkacking.” ******** Where was Sen. ARLEN SPECTER’s justice indignation when ANITA HILL sought a hearing on CLARENCE THOMAS. The same senator who brushed aside inexcusable behavior by the judge is carrying the rope for the impeachment lynch mob. ******** US spied on Iraq through UN inspectors? So what? If Iraw had nothing to hide, it would have made no difference. The whole point of the UN inspectors being there was to see if they were involved in weapons build up against the agreement they signed. Any way you look at it, with or without US involvement, the UN was doing its job. ******* Maybe Minnesota Gov. JESSE VENTURA has sent a lesson to career politicians, that they are tired of petty politics and “business as usual.” ******** Veterans throughout the area are hoping BARBARA WOODEN is well and unharmed. She has been missing since she disappeared Oct. 23 from Chester Frost Park. Her car was found in a parking lot in Georgia. She is the wife of former American Legion Post 95 commander HUGH WOODEN and sister of another former Post 95 commander, RALPH HARDEMAN. ******** The Dec. ‘98 American Legion magazine article on the pavilion at Chattanooga’s National Cemetery is late and inaccurate. Dedication was in 1997. DON SUNDQUIST is still governor—the article says “then governor.” No doubt CARL LEVI made his contributions, but a lot of people deserve credit. Without HAROLD WILSON’s work obtaining donations, nothing may have happened. And no one deserves more credit than the late RALPH ASTIN. It was his dream, that unfortunately he took to his grave. He died before its completion. ******** The city and the Humane Shelter need to do something soon. The city is going to the dogs—literally. Packs of stray dogs run loose terrorizing people, destroying property and being a nuisance from Alton Park to North Chattanooga. Calls to the shelter seem to be overwhelmed by the canine population explosion. ******** Reveille’s speculation on a congressional race between ZACH WAMP and DALTON ROBERTS in 2000 got a chuckle out of Dalton. He recalls even some Republican leaders wanted him to run in ‘94, but he was burned out after his years as County Executive. He’s not as tired now, but feels the Democrats need to field a younger person with “guts, brains and savy.” ******** The Chattanooga Taxi Board, which is a useless appendage anyway, hasn’t had a meeting in nine months. No quorum. No interest. All the city needs is a clear, simple taxi ordinance and support for a taxi inspector. |
Looking For Barbara Wooden
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Take a look at us on the internet For an expanded view of Reveille with color pictures, keep up with our web site: ipspress.com. The same web site features VFW Post 4848, American Legion Post 95, the CAVC and others. This home page feature is being made available with no charge for area non-profit organizations such as veteran groups. For information, e-mail: pop@ipspress.com. International Press Service, which maintains this, will try to keep up updated on vet work. |
Parade chairmen Chairmen for the AF Day Parade were named Jan. 19 for 1999 by the CAVC. They are John Germ and Vice Adm. Ronald Eytchison (ret.). Bob Lahiere, liaison officer for the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council, said he was proud to have found the services of two such qualified men. When everybody gets tired of paying lip service to what a wonderful world Chattanooga will have with the execution of a century old newspaper, the silence of a competing voice and the emerge of one daily newspaper, maybe someone will admit the truth. Corporate greed is alive and well in Little Rock and Chattanooga. Fifty years ago the New York Times was the paper every newsman aspired too. The Baltimore Sun was the second choice. The Norfolk Virginian-Pilot was the stopover for those on the way up, on the way down or just someone who wanted to learn the business. A reporter like Tom Wicker was on his way up. Duke Manning battled alcoholism from the New York Daily News in the other direction. A copy boy-cub reporter earned $30 a week. A fullfledged reporter only got $65. But there was a feeling of pride. It was fun. In the Fifties, seven daily newspapers in New York City went out of business: labor strife, mergers, economics. Competition was alive and flourishing in the rest of the country. Dailies battled each other. Weeklies brought conflicting views. Now Chattanooga will ultimately have only one voice, no competition. It's a matter of business. But no one needs to honey coat a bitter pill. Reveille is being sent out to readers of varied interests and especially political views. If you are receiving Reveille and do not wish it, let us know and your e-mail address will be removed. If you know of someone who might like to receive it, send us the address and that will be added. Reveille welcomes contributions of news items, opinions, pictures. Whether they agree or conflict with our comments, they will be considered for publication based on content. Any submission must be signed. The name will be withheld if the writer requests it. Currently we are following a monthly schedule, with plans for more frequent publication. A hard copy is also printed and distributed on a limited basis due to costs. The e-mail edition includes more information along with color pictures which are not possible with the hard copy. Send your comments to Reveille: pop@ipspress.com |
