Posted: 2/23/05
Final Draft - by Cliff Buchan
Let's do right by our military forces
There is little doubt that many in this country have soured on the war in Iraq. Opinion polls point to the fact that more and more Americans are losing faith in the cause.
The governmentís failure to find any of the weapons of mass destruction that were hailed as the key reason to go into Iraq eventually turned many against the war. Couple that fact with the steadily rising death total and more and more folks will lose faith.
Many question if Iraq will ever become the free democratic nation we wish her to be. There is some validity to the point. A change of that magnitude is immense.
But yet during the recent election in Iraq, Iraqis turned out by the millions to cast ballots in support of their slate of candidates who will draft the countryís constitution. With the fear of retaliation from insurgents, the fact some 8 million Iraqis voted is impressive no matter what your political viewpoint on Iraq may be.
It is certainly a step in the right direction and a step that will eventually help the U.S. exit from the region.
Getting out, however, may prove more difficult than it was getting in for a whole bunch of reasons that are sprinkled with the politics of the day. That day canít come soon enough from this viewpoint, but one thing that canít be forgotten is the men and women serving in Iraq.
We hear lots on the home front about supporting the troops. There have been many local drives in Forest Lake to collect and send ìTroop Care Packsî to our men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The folks at American Legion Post 225 have been at it for the better part of two years through the local parent support group that formed at the time of the invasion.
All the little things we can do from home are good and certainly appreciated by the men and women on the front lines far from home, and for their loved ones here.
But can our government do more?
Certainly.
The past mistakes of billing wounded troops for meals or requiring troops to pay their own way home seem to be turning around. There is also a push to increase the cash death benefit paid to the relatives of a fallen military member. Increasing the death benefit limit and the life insurance policy only seems right.
A federal proposal now under review would bump the death benefit for war zone fatalities from $12,420 to $100,000. Life insurance benefits would also increase from the current $250,000 amount to $400,000 with the government paying the cost of the premium.
The proposal has bipartisan support in Washington. It is a good measure that will put more meaning in the life of a U.S. servicemember, at least in terms of benefits to survivors, should they be killed in a war zone.
So far, weíve seen no rush from Minnesotaís state leaders to stand up rightly for our troops. There is plenty of talk in St. Paul on plenty of subjects but usually not much action on anything.
There was some movement late last week. Recently, House Republicans proposed fully funding the National Guard tuition reimbursement at 100 percent, funding the National Guard Reenlistment Investment Program, exempting income earned by Guard members while on state active duty from income taxes, and funding the World War II Memorial in the 2005 bonding bill.
More meaningful, however, was the earlier news from the state of New Mexico where Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, found bipartisan support for a proposal to have the state cover the cost of a $250,000 life insurance premium for all Guard, Reserve and activity military personnel from that state, as it has been explained in national media reports.
The New Mexico legislation would provide funding in the amount of $1 million to cover the cost of the insurance premium.
No lip service in New Mexico for support of our troops. That sounds like action.
Wouldnít it be best if something similar could be generated in here? But donít bet on it happening.
In Minnesota, our Guard and Reserve forces are eligible for the same $250,000 term life insurance coverage. In Minnesota, however, each Guard or Reserve member is required to pay the premium out of his or her pocket. Thanks for the service?
It is amazing that we can expect these men and women to uproot their lives for a year or more, work for a paltry wage and still be required to pay for their own life insurance policy?
At least lawmakers in New Mexico have got it right.
Our legislators get too caught up in naming highways for a dead president from California who may have visited Minnesota a handful of times or passing a resolution that would honor that former president on his birthday or name a freeway in his honor.
Nothing against Ronald Reagan but letís stick to home grown state heroes and home state issues.
The bottom line is that we need to keep on supporting our men and women who have put their lives on the line and applaud those who stand up to do something right, even if it might cost a few bucks.
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605