A Veteran's Letter To The American People via The News Media

This is a web page that was designed to assist the military retiree grass roots movement in their effort to regain the medical care that was promised after their retirement. Some of the medical care that was promised was restored when the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 was signed into law on 30 Oct 2000. This web page will remain on the Internet as a reminder of THE WAY IT WAS. The American people and the United States Congress must never forget that which is owed to its military retirees, military veterans, active duty military, and their eligible dependents.

THE PREAMBLE: I am a retired American military fighting man. I served in the Armed Forces which guarded my country and our way of life. I was prepared to give my life in my country's defense. I will never forget that I am an American fighting man, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will continue to trust in my God and in the United States of America. And, I will continue the fight (verbally and in writing) to regain the benefits promised to the retired American military veterans for as long as I live.

THE TRAGEDY: This letter concerns a grave tragedy occurring, almost unnoticed, here in the United States of America. This tragedy involves pain, suffering, mental anguish, and financial devastation. It involves a group of people, the retired American military veterans, who put their lives in jeopardy for the preservation of freedom throughout the world. The tragedy centers on a promise.

THE PROMISE: While on active duty in the United States Armed Forces, personnel in positions of authority acting as agents of the United States Government promised me and millions of people like me that if we served for 20 years in the military and retired we would receive free medical care for ourselves and eligible dependents for as long as we lived. This medical care promise was made openly, officially, and continuously to encourage the trained and experienced military personnel to remain in the military. This promise was still being used for recruiting well into the 90's.

THE PROBLEM: Now, in the process of down sizing the United States Military, a large number of military bases and Military Treatment Facilities have been closed. This has created a situation where inadequate space is available to accommodate the retired American military community. As a result, that critical medical care that was promised to the retired military is being denied by the United States Government. This is WRONG. The U.S. Congress is well aware of this problem. Some legislative action is in progress, to correct the problem, but is moving too slow to help the oldest of the military retirees who need help now.

THE ARGUMENT: The medical care promise, as it has played out, was a gimmick (a novel or clever scheme, a hidden or deceptive device) designed to keep the trained military in the military. It was a promotional stratagem of great proportions. In other circumstances this promise could easily be considered a conspiracy to defraud. If one of our large U.S. Corporations would make then break a similar promise the entire U.S. Government legal system would be mobilized to correct , in the name of justice, that injustice.

This was my promise when I joined the military. I do solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America; that I will serve honestly and faithfully against all their enemies whomsoever; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States, and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

I kept my promise. I would have died if necessary to keep my promise. The fact is I had no choice. When I made this promise, I had the will and the strength to fight, and defeat, the enemies of the United States of America. I trusted and respected my military and elected leaders. I believed what I was promised. They, my leaders, could and did depend on me. I never let them down. I never reneged on my promise.

It was my duty to encourage subordinates to reenlist. Reenlistment was absolutely necessary to maintain a strong trained military force at a very crucial time in our history. I was required to and did brief, in an official capacity, hundreds of subordinates concerning the provisions of the medical care promise for military retirees. It was never my intent to defraud.

Repeating the medical care promise was not difficult for me because I believed it. I believed it because the promise was made to me when I enlisted and was made throughout my career in the military. The medical care promise was the major incentive for me to reenlist in the military.

THE MISUNDERSTANDING: It appears that our Congressional leaders, their staff members, the news media, and the American people don't realize that there is a difference between a veteran that spends 3 years in the military and is discharged and a veteran that spends 30 years in the military and retires. They don't know that promises were made in both cases but they are different. The Congress doesn't seem to understand that a retired veteran's eligible dependents are a part of the medical care broken promise issue.

We continue to hear about what is being done for the veterans at the VA Hospitals. But, most folks in the Government and the civilian community don't realize that the retired military veterans eligible dependents can not go to a VA Hospital for treatment. They also don't understand that unless a veterans has a certain degree of disability he/she must pay for care at the VA Hospital.

When people in the civilian community read the newspapers or hear about things like Medicare Subvention (TRICARE Senior Prime) and TRICARE Prime they get the impression that the retired military veterans medical care broken promise issue has been resolved. As retired military veterans we know that this is not true.

THE APPEAL TO THE NEWS MEDIA: The breaking of this medical care promise is producing grave consequences for the retired American military veterans, but seems to be of little or no concern to the American people. I appeal to you to do your own investigation into this broken promise issue. Don't just get information from U.S. Government officials. Talk to some of the millions of retired military veterans affected by this medical care broken promise issue. Then report the real facts not just the Governments official line. The Government officials, that would now give you what they think are the facts, were not there in the 1940's, 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's. They don't know the facts. Report the real facts. Let the American people be the final judge in this matter. Let them answer these questions:

If the American people decide that promises made to its Armed Forces should not be honored, then I will accept and will abide by their decision.

If the American people decide that promises made to its Armed Forces should be honored, then I appeal to them to convey their feelings to their Congressional Representatives and local news media.

As a retired American military veteran I need to know how the American people feel concerning promises made to its Armed Forces. And, I'm sure that our active duty military, who are currently serving the American people around the world, would also like to know.

I feel that I have a duty and an obligation to appeal to you, the Congresson, the News Media, and the American People, on behalf of the retired American military community. I can not, with a clear conscience, stand idly by and watch this grave injustice being perpetrated upon the weak and helpless retired American military senior citizens.

The medical care promise was made, in good faith, by the United States military and sanctioned by the United States Congress. They were right when they made the promise. They needed to make the promise. It was imperative that they make the promise. They laid the foundation. The American people and the current U.S. Congress must now find a way to maintain the integrity of this foundation. You must find a way to keep the medical care promise made to the retired American military veterans. The security of the United States of America hangs in the balance.

When it's time for the military people to put their lives on the line to protect what other see as a threat to their security the military is important. After the threat is over the same people that one day would call us heros would the next day call us bums, and break promises which have been made. This is a national disgrace. This is beneath the dignity of the American people.

Article 2 of the Code of Conduct for the Armed Forces of the UnitedStates affirms, "I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command I will never surrender my men while they still have the means to resist." In my heart I am still a military fighting man. I can not surrender. I still have the means to resist. I can still write.

It is indeed tragic that at this point in my life I am forced to fight (verbally and in writing) my own government for what was promised to me and millions of my retired military colleagues.

As a proud retired American military veteran, I thank you for your assistance and consideration.

Floyd H. Sears, MSGT, USAF, 1951-1971, (Retired)
The Retired Military Advocate
mailto:fsears@bellsouth.net
http://mrgrg-ms.org