A Legionnaire is an American Legion member who puts his post and organization ahead of himself. We doubt that LARRY LEUDENBURG, asst. adjutant of the Florida legion, will win many popularity contests. When we e-mailed Post 95’s newsletter to the Florida state office, he responded he wanted the Florida state legion office to be removed from the list. Thinking there was a mistake, we e-mailed a query. He responded: "My first request was right on the money. It didn’t need clarification or confirming." Nice guy.

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Sometimes we must wonder if our Republican friends in Congress learned anything from the ridiculous attempt to impeach the President. Now they want to play arm chair quarterbacks for our involvement in Bosnia. It’s a bad situation, but the worst thing Congress can do is send mixed messages, a lack of support for our men and women waging a war against inhumanity. We don’t want another Vietnam where Americans are on the firing line and being belittled at home.

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An old friend came to town. Col. MIKE CROSS made the trip from London to visit SHAWN TILLEY and visit with the comrades he met when he was here to celebrate the American contribution in the battle for Britain. Mike served with the US Army in Korea.

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Reservations for the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council banquet were late at the Choo Choo and they had to take the Roosevelt Room which had smaller seating capacity than last year. To keep the meeting from being too long, it was decided to have no speaker. It still went on for nearly three hours.

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Does it seem strange to any veteran to hear DAN QUAYLE attacking BILL CLINTON on the war in Bosnia? Clinton served his country during the Vietnam War by dodging the draft in Europe. And Quayle hid behind the National Guard to avoid duty.

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A lot of people had mixed emotions and some sympathy for Tennessee American Water Company when plans were announced by the city for a buyout. As TAWC’s overkill campaign and dirty tricks come out, there is no room left for sympathy.

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One of everybody’s favorite veterans is "Sarge"—JOHN HARWELL. Recently he confused his appointment date and showed up at the Eastgate Clinic to go by van to Murfreesboro for treatment. He wasn’t on the roster and there was no one at the hospital that early to verify, so the van driver accepted John’s word and took him. Appearing on the wrong date, the hospital said his tests were scheduled for another day and he was sent back to Chattanooga where he reached the Eastgate Clinic at 5 PM. Coming back unexpectedly, he had no ride and called a cab to get home. He fell trying to get to his door and was carried to the emergency room. Everyone followed proper procedure. Probably no one is at fault, no one except the process which doesn’t protect one of our best. John is 96 years old. Sen. FRED THOMPSON’s office is looking into it.