Site designed by egg media.

Meeting our Moral Commitment to Veterans

Commitments are kept with actions, not just words. While the Memorial Day Address I gave in Eastman, Georgia pays homage to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, it should also give you a sense of how strongly I feel about veterans' issues.

Current Veterans Issues before Congress:

•Adopt the Flag Amendment. Here's my view on the Flag Amendment.

• End the concurrent receipt inequity. Both retirement pay and disability compensation involve payment of money to retirees. Other than that, these two are apples and oranges that cannot and should not be substituted or offset for one another. Retirement pay is simply part of the compensation package promised to veterans who honorably served. Disability compensation is designed to offset the daily economic and physical loss imposed upon a retiree by permanent medical conditions incurred or aggravated during honorable service. The legislative judgment on this one is not a close call. And that this inequity has persisted for so long should be a source of shame, not an excuse for more delay in fixing it.

• Provide accessible, quality medical care. Too many veterans entitled to care must travel great distances, wait interminably in anterooms and then receive poor care. The current CARES initiative must not be used as an excuse to further delay improvements in the provision of accessible, quality medical care. We should provide eligible veterans with access to private physicians and medical facilities of their choice if the Veterans Administration cannot deliver prompt, quality services.

• Help veterans overcome barriers to employment. Since 1980, the Department of Labor has administered the Veterans Employment and Training Service program designed to assist veterans in overcoming barriers to employment. There is a move afoot to transfer the program to the Veterans Administration. The American Legion strongly believes this program should stay in the experts on labor matter, the Department of Labor, with increased funding. I support the Legion's position.

Jim Marshall's military service summary:

Enlisted: November 14, 1968
Arrived in Vietnam: October 14, 1969
Separation Date: August 14, 1970

Training Completed: Basic, Advanced Infantry Training, Airborne School, NCO School, Ranger School.

Vietnam Assignments: Platoon Sergeant, C Company and E Recon, 1/52nd of 198th Light Infantry Brigade, LZ Stinson, Quang Ngai Province.

Decorations: Purple Heart, Combat Infantry Badge, Two Bronze Star Medals (one for valor), Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Discharge: Honorable