I'm sure that was not Gayle's intention by saying thank you to our vets
to stir up political nay sayers and comment.  Your question was
rhetorical and not meant to be answered by Gayle.  It was intended to
stir up the readers.

Just say, "Thank You" for once and leave the political rhetoric for
another time.  Timing is everything.

Frances Fuller
425-4475

-----Original Message-----
From: UTC Staff E-Mail List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Harry Hays
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 10:09 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [UTCSTAFF] Veterans Day

hi gayle, i certainly agree that we should honor our soldiers, but i
have a
question: since george w bush became president, over 164,000 veterans
have
been cut off from access to the veterans' health care system;
participation
in the pentagon's health insurance system has been denied to national
guard
and reserve units, even those being called up for duty in iraq; the tour
of
duty for our troops in iraq has been doubled (or maybe even more)
despite
sec of defense rumsfeld's assurances that: "the services and the joint
staff have been working with central command to develop a rotation plan
so
that we can, in fact, see that we treat these terrific young men and
women
in a way that is respectful of their lives and their circumstances
(7/9/03)."; already modest increases in monthly "imminent danger" pay
(from
$225 to $150) and family separation allowance for troops under fire in
combat zones(from $250 to $100) have been rolled back; a 14% cut in
funds
to military family housing and medical facilities has been put in the
2004
budget; and child tax credits for over "one million children living in
military and veteran families," over 260,000 of whose parents are now on
active duty (children's defense fund, 6/6/03)" have been abolished by
recent tax cuts. is this "honoring" our soldiers? or is it, as the army
times newspaper headline read last week: "an act of betrayal: in the
midst
of war, key family benefits face cuts. (Army times, 11/4/03)?" the
article
went on to list "a string of actions by the Bush administration to cut
or
hold down growth in pay and benefits, including basic pay, combat pay,
health-care benefits and the death gratuity paid to survivors of troops
who
die on active duty (army times, 11/4/03)." again, i must ask: is this
how
we honor those who are putting their lives on the line for our country,
right or wrong?

harry m hays
history department.


At 09:02 AM 11/11/2003 -0500, Gayle Barrett wrote:
>Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL those who
served
>honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime. In fact, Veterans
Day
>is largely intended to thank LIVING veterans for their service, to
>acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are
>appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served - not
only
>those who died - have sacrificed and done their duty.
-www.va.gov/vetsday
>
>To all of you who have served  ... I am grateful for and proud of your
>service.
>
>
>
>
>Gayle C. Barrett
>University of Tennessee Chattanooga
>Business & Financial Affairs
>Dept. 5705 - 201 Founders
>423.425.1705 ph;  423.425.5238 fax