Letters to The Sun Herald Editor
By: Floyd H. Sears, MSGT, USAF, 1951 to 1971 (Ret).

  • The letters on this web page are letters to the editor which have been published in The Sun Herald (A Knight Ridder Newspaper) serving the Mississippi Gulf Coast since 1884. The Sun Herald is sympathetic to the plight of the military retirees and military veterans.
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  • Click here to visit the Sun Herald Online at http://www.sunherald.com.
  • These letters reflected my feelings and disappointments as various events unfolded leading up to the loss of the promised lifetime medical care for America's military retirees. The purpose of these letters was/is to keep the military retiree medical care broken promise issue alive. Some of what's in these letters may sound silly but you must understand that I'm fighting back with what ever tools I have, and I'm trying very hard to get other military retirees involved in the process. My first letter was published 30 June 1996.
  • My very sincere thanks to The Sun Herald and their Editorial Director B. Marie Harris for allowing me to express my feelings concerning this military retiree dilemma.
  • The Sun Herald invites letters to the editor from readers on subjects of public interest. Click here to e-mail your letter.
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  • E-mail Floyd Sears at fsears@bellsouth.net.

    LETTERS MENU:

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    • (1). One promise broken; which one is next? - published 30 June 1996

    The elected leaders of the United States of America are in the process of reneging on a solemn promise made to me and thousands of people like me. 

    I do not have this promise in the form of a contract. However, thousands of retired military will attest to the fact that they were also made the same promise.

    The free medical care promise was a cruel hoax for the career military. What will the retired military veteran lose next? Maybe their military retirement pay? You think it can't happen? Why not? The military retirement pay is just a promise --- like free medical care.

    Sun Herald, there is a story here that is bigger than the Watergate scandal, the banking scandal, and the Whitewater scandal all combined. Please keep this story alive.

    (2). Retired military must fight one more time - published 11 August 1996

    This is the content of a letter I am sending on a weekly basis to President Bill Clinton, Candidate for President Bob Dole, Senator Trent Lott, Senator Thad Cochran, Congressman Newt Gingrich, and Congressman Gene Taylor, concerning the broken medical care promise for the retired military. I plan to hold the line (maintain a relentless presence) until help arrives. Retired military, please help.

    Dear (Recipient):

    I hereby petition the Government of the United States of America for a redress of a grievance.

    THE RIGHT:
    Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibitingthe free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

    THE GRIEVANCE:
    The elected leaders of the United States of America are reneging on a solemn promise made to it's retired military.

    THE ARGUMENT:
    I was promised when I enlisted in the military and each time I re-enlisted that if I completed 20 years in the military and retired, I would have free medical care for myself as long as I lived and eligible family member as long as they lived.

    I do not have this promise in the form of a contract. However, thousands of retired military will attest to the fact that they were also made the same promise.

    As it currently stands, this free medical care promise was (is) a cruel hoax for the retired military.

    The foundation of my life was (is) based on this solemn promise of free medical care after retirement. I never believed that the United States of America and it's elected leaders would renege on this promise.

    This was my promise when I joined the military in 1951.

    I do solemnly swear (or affirm) 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 was young I had the strength and the will to defeat any enemy 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 reneged on a promise.

    Now, I am old and weak and there is nothing left but the will to continue. I would have trouble physically defending my own house.

    It is indeed tragic that at this point in my life I am forced to fight for what was promised to me and thousands of my retired military colleagues.

    The free medical care promise was made by your predecessors in good faith. They were right when they made the promise. The promise was made to keep the trained military in the military.

    It was a matter of money then and it is a matter of money now.

    It is wrong to now break the promise.

    THE REDRESS:
    Restore the provisions of the free medical care promise made to military retirees.

    (3). Time is too short for retirees to be patient - published 16 Sep 1996

    This letter concerns the loss of the promised free medical care for military retirees.

    One day, while walking along a busy street, I saw a dog get hit by an automobile.Without thinking I rushed into the street trying to divert the oncoming traffic to prevent the dog from being hit again. At the same time I tried to move the dog to the side of the street. The dog bit me. Later he died. The dog didn't know that I was trying to help him. He was confused and hurt. If dogs can think and reason, he probably thought I was going to hurt him some more. In his condition the dog exhibited very little patience.

    So, how does this relate to the retired military? There are many similarities. The retired military is being treated like a dog. The retired military is confused and hurt. There is an ongoing effort to move us to the side of the street (away from the Military Treatment Facilities). We don't know that someone is trying to help us. We are exhibiting very little patience.

    It has been suggested that I be patient "since it may take some time to look thoroughly into the issues I have raised".

    I say, don't ask the retired military to be patient while something that should never have been broken gets fixed.

    I say, many of the retired military may die or be financially devastated while waiting for this fix.

    I say, we the retired military senior citizens don't have time to be patient.

    I say, proud retired military men and women should not be forced to beg.

    I say, that history will record this broken promise issue as the greatest injustice ever perpetrated against the United States Military.

    I thank those people who have shown the courage to write concerning the broken promise, and I thank the Sun Herald for publishing their letters.

    (4). Will military retirees be bamboozled again? - published 26 November 1996

    So now we know. The retired military senior citizen (the 65-and-over bunch) have been bamboozled in terms of the promised medical care after retirement.

    We lost it. It's gone. No one is to blame? No one can be held accountable? It was never promised? Right?

    But wait, do we have another promise from Washington? We may get something in lieu of what was originally promised? We may get Medicare subvention?

    With Medicare subvention, retired military senior citizens will get medical care at a military treatment facility? Medicare will reimburse the facility? Tricare will schedule retirees' appointments at the facility? The retiree will pay for Tricare along with Medicare?

    What will Medicare subvention really do for the retired military senior citizens? Since Tricare started, there is no space available at Keesler for them. If Medicare subvention becomes a reality, how will it create space? If the retiree has Medicare, why not go to a civilian treatment facility? Does every retired military senior citizen have Medicare? What about their senior-citizen spouses? Do they all have Medicare?

    Do you really think that Medicare subvention will become a reality? If so, think about this. If you owned or received dividends from a civilian treatment facility, how would you react to this Medicare subvention thing? Would you want to have Medicare money paid to a military facility? If so, Why?

    Who do you think is going to win this battle for Medicare money, the civilian treatment facility or the retired military senior citizen? Which one has the most powerful lobby in Washington?

    Is the retired military senior citizen being bamboozled again?

    Have you noted that I have no answers, just questions? Do you have answers?

    (5). Millions suffer because of a broken promise - published 10 Jan 1997

    As I scanned the front page of The Sun Herald on December 29 something caught my eye which caused my heart rate to increase by several beats. In bold print I saw the words "Broken promise".

    I thought for just a moment that The Sun Herald had rescued the retired military. I thought they had put our story on the front page. You know the story, about how the retired military is being cheated out of promised medical benefits.

    But, as I took a closer look I discovered that the story was about another tragic event.

    What is it that makes one tragic event worthy of appearing on the front page and another not worthy?

    The retired military story is a very tragic event. Its a story about millions of people who were naive enough to believe that they could depend on their country to keep its promises to its retired military. It's a story that was worth mentioning during the recent elections but has since apparently lost its importance.

    If our story had more sex, violence, intrigue, murder, etc. or was about an illicit love affair or some other controversy involving a public figure, then maybe our story would make the front page.

    I challenge The Sun Herald to take a long, hard look at this story about the retired military being cheated. You won't find the standard headline items. But, you will find pain, suffering, financial devastation, and great frustration.

    The retired-military story involves millions of people across the nation and thousands here on the Coast. Its also a story that involves hundreds of our lawmakers in Washington.

    (6). American fighting men weren't taught to quit - published 2 March 1997

    This letter is not about bashing; its about quitting.

    The United States Government is reneging on its promise of free medical care to its retired military. This is wrong. I know it's wrong, you know it's wrong, and our representatives in Washington know it's wrong.

    I have pledges (letters) from Senator Trent Lott, Senator Thad Cochran, and Rep. Gene Taylor that they will continue the fight to restore the substance of promises made to the career military. I know they will not quit.

    I am quite sure that you, the avid readers of this section of the Sun Herald, wish that I would just go away. I have made my point; now quit. But I will not quit. I will continue to fight. The United States Military taught me many things but they never taught me how to quit.

    I know it sounds corny, but I can tell you that "I am an American fighting man. I served in the forces which guarded my country and our way of life. I was prepared to give my life in its 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 trust in my God and in the United States of America."

    Those of you that served in the United States Military recognize this as article 1 and 6 of the "Code of Conduct for the Armed Forces of the United States", altered slightly. You know what it means. You understand that I can not quit. You understand the consequences of quitting.

    For those of you that do not understand the consequences of quitting, I can only say I hope you never have to learn. I hope that you will always be protected by theUnited States Military.

    I may falter, but I will never quit.

    (7). Criminals have rights; military retirees don't - published 12 April 97

    The U.S. Government is reneging on their promise of free medical care to it's retired military.

    This is wrong.

    I've said it's wrong in letters to Bill Clinton, Trent Lott, Thad Cochran, Gene Taylor, Bob Dole, Ross Perot, Dennis Dollar, VFW Posts, American Legion Posts, ELKS Lodges, WLOX TV, WWL Radio, and the Sun Herald. I have asked for support and consideration. No one has disagreed with my contentions. I've also joined a lawsuit in Florida which attempts to correct this wrong.

    Now like a drowning person groping for a straw, I will make a comparison (which some will judge as ridiculous). I will compare the breaking of a promise to violent lawbreakers and the breaking of a promise to the retired military.

    According to a recent Associated Press article in the Sun Herald, a large number of violent lawbreakers were granted early release from the Florida prison system as a result of a U.S. Supreme Court decision. It seems that Florida prisoners had been promised something known as "gain time,"which would reduce the length of their prison sentences.Then, apparently, Florida attempted to renege on that promise. The U.S. Supreme Court became involved; and the court ruled that promises made, even to violent lawbreakers, must be kept.

    This prisoner-release incident is of great interest to me because the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that promises made to violent lawbreakers can not be broken. The violent lawbreaker has rights. Apparently, the retired military doesn't.

    How can the rights and promises made to violent lawbreakers be routinely protected, while promises made to the retired military are being routinely broken?

    I don't have the answer, but I do have a plan. I willcontinue the struggle. I'm going to keep doing it until I get it right.

    (8). How many recruiters promised health care? - published 25 June 1997.

    Undoubtedly some of you are concerned about the medical care promised to the retired military (which is being denied by the U.S. Government) have read Tom Philpott's latest "Military Update" (June 15, Sun Herald).

    The good news is, the U.S. District Court in Pensacola rejected a government motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by retired Col. George "Bud" Day on behalf of two members of the over-65 retired military community.

    The bad news is, it ain't over yet and we haven't won anything. I use the word we because I'm proud to say that I'm one of the 2,900 military retirees (63 here in Mississippi) who are party to the lawsuit.

    Tom Pentecost (who calls himself The Duty Marine/Chief of Stuff) maintains the web page. On the web page you will find a letter titled "We love our country" written by Tom, and I have asked him to submit it to The Sun Herald letters to the editor.

    As indicated on the "Class Act Group" web page, they are looking for former recruiters or NCOIC's of unit-retention programs who can and will provide written, first-hand depositions of their duties as agents of the government, specifically those who used as an inducement the promise of lifetime free medical care. They are also looking for official documentation of this promise.

    I encourage you to continue to support your preferred organization. And, I strongly encourage you to support the "Class Act Group" lawsuit. They/we need your help. We must win this one.

    (9). Only a few take time to write for thousands - published 23 July 1997

    From 1951 to 1971 the United States government through the military promised me that if I served for 20 years and retired, I would receive free medical care (on a space available basis) for myself and eligible dependents as long as we lived.

    Because of military base closures and down sizing there is no space available. As a result, the U.S. government/military has reneged on this medical care promise.

    Since mid 1996. I have been writing letters to the Sun Herald concerning this broken promise. I have also clipped letters from the Sun Herald written by other folks expressing their thoughts on this subject. To date, I have clipped 52 letters written by 36 people.

    We are doing what we can to keep this story alive. We are advocates working for the preservation of freedom, a strong United States military and equity for its retired members. We know that we can not have one without the other.

    We know that without a strong military our freedom, that many take for granted, will cease to exist. We know that the enemy is still there. We know that the military must fight the enemy again. We know that we can not maintain a strong active military if the United States Government continues to renege on promises made to its retired military.

    There are many military retirees living within a 40 mile radius of Keesler AFB, yet only 36 people have written letters to the Sun Herald. Surely there are more than 36 people who are concerned about this broken promise.

    As a result of these letters, you know who we are. But, we don't know who you are. Please do not stand silent. Please help in this struggle. Write a letter to your representatives in Washington and write a letter to the Sun Herald. Write the letter ... today.

    (10). Organize, yes, but keep mail and e-mail comming - published 21 Sept 1997

    I agree with the letter "It'll take organization to restore health care, 27 Aug. 97". You can add my name to your list.

    But, until we get organized we must remain active in our individual efforts. We must continue to keep this issue (the retired military medical care broken promise) before the U.S. Congress and the American people. We have a just complaint. We are right.

    A majority of the U.S. Congress and the American people have no idea what we are talking about. They simply do not understand the problem. It happened before their time. We, the retired military senior citizens, have a duty and an obligation to educate them. It's not a sin not to know. But, in this case, it's a sin not to tell.

    To that end, I recently e-mailed a letter to all members of Congress with an Email address (330 total). I named the project Broken Promise Email Call. The letter explains the retired military senior citizen dilemma and how it developed.

    I have received 96 responses. Most simply acknowledge receipt of the e-mail. Others explain the law that created the dilemma and those actions being taken to correct the problem.

    I encourage all retired military, with an e-mail capability, to follow my lead. We must educate Congress. I have developed an address book, for Netscape Navigator, for all U.S. Senators and Representatives with e-mail addresses. I will share this information. Please contact me at "fsears@bellsouth.net".

    A closing thought: The U.S. Congress answers a knock at their door. They see one person claiming to represent 8.5 million people, or they see 8.5 million people. Which do you think will impress them the most?

    (11). Military retirees, we can't afford to be quiet - published 31 Oct 1997

    If you are retired military and if you are engaged in some activity designed to protect the benefits of United States military veterans then you need not read the rest of this letter.

    If you are actively engaged in writing letters to your congressional representatives asking for restoration of medical benefits promised to the retired military then skip to the next letter.

    If you are retired military and you are not engaged in some activity designed to protect veterans benefits, why not? Are you waiting for someone else to do it for you? If you are then you need to get your head out of the sand, or some other part of your anatomy, and wake-up.

    The United States government is run by human beings, our representatives, and they are making a fatal mistake. They are turning their backs on the United States military veterans.

    Before you get your water hot, I'm not bashing you favorite congressional representative. Senators Trent Lott and Thad Cochran, and Representative Gene Taylor all seem to be doing all they can for the veterans. But, other congressional representatives are not; many are working against the military veterans.

    What does it take to get you veterans mad? Are you just waiting for your turn at the trough? If you disagree with me, say so. Say anything. Don't just sit there like a dummy while someone else's hand is in you pocket, while you are being robbed of your benefits.

    Check-me-out on the internet at http://veteranscity.com/advocate ... this web page encourages all Retired Military Veterans to participate in a letter-writing campaign, to their congressional representatives, asking for restoration of promised medical care.

    (12). America's old warriors deserve better care - published 11 Dec 1997

    Extracted from NAUS November 1997 Legislative Update:

    The average WWII retirees are in their mid-seventies. They desperately need the promised, lifetime medical care now, and military departments are not delivering it. Even when Medicare subvention and TRICARE are fully implemented in three to five years, only 50 to 60 percent of the beneficiaries will be able to receive care.

    America's old warriors deserve better than that. Therefore, alternative methods for honoring the lifetime medical care promise must be enacted.

    However, we cannot expect help from the Department of Defense because its official position regarding the honoring of the lifetime medical care is reflected in the 5 November 1997 letter to the Chairman, House Committee on National Security from Judith A. Miller, the General Counsel of the Department of Defense. DoD stated that it is opposed to H.R.1356, H.R. 1456, H.R. 1766, H.R. 2100, and H.R.2128 because of cost. (These are various bills that would allow military retirees and other medical beneficiaries the FEHBP option.)

    DoD is opposed to allowing its older warriors and other medical beneficiaries who do not have access to MTFs, TRICARE or a CHAMPUS/TRICARE-Standard benefit equivalent to the health care benefit provided to the nation's clerks because it costs too much!

    While dollars can be found to start new health care and other entitlement programs, DoD opposes honoring the lifetime medical care promise because it costs too much!

    We must push ahead with Congress for the complete and permanent solution to the military medical care crisis. Since 1998 is an election year, between now and next November every member of the House of Representatives and one third of the Senate will be campaigning for reelection and asking for your support. This is our best chance to get action on military health care. Use this opportunity to ask for their support and solve the military health care problem before the 1998 congressional elections.

    (13). For Some Of Us, Broken promises are serious - published 12 Feb 1998

    While on active duty in the United States Military from 1951 to 1971, military 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 (on a space available basis) for ourselves and eligible dependents for as long as we lived.

    This promise was made openly, officially, and continuously to encourage trained military personnel to remain in the military. It was imperative at this point in our history that we maintain a strong military force. The well being of the free world was at stake. Thus the making of this promise, even though it would be broken later, was apparently judged to be justifiable.

    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 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.

    This broken promise issue seems to be of little concern to anyone except the retired military veterans affected. It seems that this broken promise issue is not even worthy of a debate in this forum.

    It is rumored that Social Security and Medicare will go broke soon. If this happens will you (the non military veteran) be willing to debate that issue? It will be justanother broken promise. No big deal, right?

    When RIGHT and WRONG no longer matter I'll quit debating the retired military broken promise issue. I challenge you to debate me here, and/or at http://veteranscity.com/advocate. Prove to me that my contentions are wrong.

    (14). Military Retirees Have a Code of Conduct Too - published 26 Mar 1998

    Code of Conduct for the Military Retirees of the United States: I am a retired American military fighting person. I served in the Armed Forces which guarded my country and our way of life. I was prepared to give my life in my countries defense. I will never forget that I am an American fighting person, 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 to regain the benefits promised to the retired American military veterans for as long as I live.

    Disclaimer: Some of the wording for the Code of Conduct for the Military Retirees of the United States (CCMRUS) has been derived from the Code of Conduct for the Armed Forces of the United States (CCAFUS). The CCMRUS does not intend to mock or in anyway discredit the CCAFUS. It has been developed in the same spirit and out of a necessity as was the CCAFUS. The military retirees is an entity, as is the active duty military. At a point in our history it was deemed necessary to develop the CCAFUS to be used as an ethical guide for the active duty military as they faced the difficulties of fighting a war. The CCMRUS has been developed as an ethical guide for the activities of the military retirees as they face the difficulties of dealing with the loss of promised benefits, after facing the difficulities of fighting a war.

    (15). Veterans Are Cast Aside Like Old Cigarette Butts - published 3 July 1998

    It is an established fact that our government promoted and encouraged in-service tobacco use. During this century the government included tobacco products in combat rations, allowed the Red Cross to hand out free cigarettes, also allowed the sale of tobacco products at discounted prices in canteens, exchanges and commissaries. Obviously, the most encouragement came by allowing a "SMOKE BREAK", e.g. "Now hear this, the smoking lamp is lit" and "If you got'um, smoke'um, or bum'um". Congress pays for NON-VETERANS' health care costs, no matter if the ailment is tobacco related. For years, Congress has subsidized tobacco farmers.

    With the passage of the transportation bill, Congress has the audacity to declared tobacco use "willful misconduct"!! It has placed veterans' smoking in the same category as drug abuse in order to eliminate disability benefits for veterans with tobacco related ailments to offset the cost of the transportation bill. Congress did that during the same time it was debating a bill that would force tobacco companies to pay health benefits for the non-veteran population. This is hypocrisy at the ultimate level. So much for government loyalty to it's loyal veterans.

    BTW: I am a non-smoker. But I've always worked around people that smoke. I have inhaled lots of secondary smoke. What if I come down with what the VA sees as a smoking related problem? A real bummer, huh?

    Once again the military veteran is being treated like a used cigarette butt. When it no longer has any value [when it's all smoked-up] discard it in a trash container.

    A message to our Congressional Representatives [or wanabees] out there, don't let your sons and daughters grow-up to be veterans.

    (16). Next Month, Veterans Will Educate Congress - published 10 Sept 1998

    The United States Government, the Department of Defense, and the American people [by their failure to act] are breaking a solemn promise made to the retired American military veterans. Anyone on active duty in the military from the 1940's to the 1990's knows about this promise. Personnel in positions of authority acting as agents of the United States Government promised 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 promise was made openly, officially, and continuously to encourage the trained and experienced [and underpaid] military personnel to remain in the military. This promise was still being used for recruiting well into the 1990's and was always the major inducement to reenlist [since the pay was inadequate].This was one of those "we will pay you later promises" that was kept for awhile then broken.

    Apparently the United States Congress does not have all of the relevant facts in reference to this promise. To correct this obvious misunderstanding a "Convention to Educate Congress (CEC) will be convened in Washington DC on 21-22 September 1998.

    The CEC plan was developed by the Class Act Group, in Ft. Walton Beach FL, and the Coalition of Retired Military veterans, in Sumter SC, the two veterans groups suing the United States Government for broken promises on retired military health care. The Class Act Group has taken the lead in this effort.

    This effort is being backed by veterans organizations such as NAUS, TREA, TROA, and the Augusta Group. View the Augusta Group web site, which has links to other web sites, at "http://mrgrg-ms.org/doc11.html".

    My e-mail address is "fsears@bellsouth.net".

    (17). Many of You Were At The Capitol by Proxy - published 12 Oct 1998

    On Sept 22, Medal of Honor winners Col. Bud Day and Adm. James Stockdale, congressional dignitaries and a group of about 500 retired military veterans met on the steps of the United States Capital in Washington for the Convention to Educate Congress.

    The CEC was a rally to educate the Congress and the American people concerning a grave injustice being perpetrated upon retired military veterans --- the broken promise of lifetime medical care in return for a career of service in the United States Military.

    I was there, and you were there by proxy if:

    <>

    All of this information was hand delivered to the offices of Senators Trent Lott and Thad Cochran and Rep. Gene Taylor as part of an 80-plus page document designed to educate the Congress.

    We were at the CEC because our backs are to the wall. We have been understanding and considerate. We have given our national leaders time to work on our problem. Time has run out. We have no other options. It's either stand up and win or lie down and lose.

    As active duty military, we were never taught how to lose. We were only taught how to win. As retired military veterans we carry on the "win tradition". We will continue the fight to win. We know no other way.

    (18). It's Up To Veterans To Educate Congress - published 8 Dec 1998

    "Somebody ought to do something about the retired military veterans medical-care broken promise issue!" How many times have you, the retired military veteran, made that statement or heard that statement made?

    Indeed somebody somebody should do something, but what? There is a great deal of misunderstanding and resentment involved in this broken promise issue, and unless you, the retired military veteran, do something the misunderstanding will only intensify.

    If you assume that your representatives and their staff members in Washington fully understands the issues and its implications, you are wrong!

    Most don't understand the difference between a discharged military veteran and a retired military veteran, and this misunderstanding is killing us. Most don't understand that promises were made to both groups, but these promises are different. Most don't understand that medical-care promises were also made to the retiree's wife as well as to the retiree.

    We cannot expect Congress to resolve our problems if they don't understand the problem.

    A plan has been developed which continues a process started by the class-action lawsuit, that is designed to educate members of Congress. This plan is very simple. On Dec. 31, each retired military veteran, and their faqmily members, are being asked to send six letters to their representatives in Washington by regular mail.

    The details of the plan, the Convention to Educate Congress by Mail, can be found at web page http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/lig/f/s/cecm.html -- or e-mail fsears@bellsouth.net.

    For the record, I am very familiar with TRICARE, TRICARE Senior Prime (Medicare subvention), MTF space-available, care available at the VA Hospital, proposed FEHBP tests, and all of the other tests and Band-Aids that are being proposed in Congress to address the broken-promise issue.

    (19). Government Fights Us Using Our On Money - published 1 March 1999

    Let's suppose that you and a group of other folks work for an organization for a period of time that is sufficient to earn you a retirement benefit. Then let's suppose that after your retirement the organization keeps its promise and provides the benefit for a period of time. Then suppose that this organization tells you, in the twilight of your life when you need the benefit the most, that they cannot provide the benefit anymore because it costs too much, and the benefit that was offered was not authorized.

    What do you think you and the other folks involved would do? I'll bet that you would talk to each other, have meetings, hire a lawyer, and initiate a class-action lawsuit. Sounds reasonable to me. Sounds like the right thing to do.

    I am a member of a class of people known as military retirees. We are being denied a health-care benefit we earned. We are talking to each other about this problem and have had many meetings. We have a lawyer (Medal of Honor winner Col. George "Bud" Day) working on our behalf and we are proceeding with a class-action lawsuit, because it's the right thing to do. The lawsuit is being brought against United States government, and we are having a big problem. The fact is we are not winning. The government has unlimited legal resources to field against us, and unlimited time. We are outnumbered a thousand to one, but we are still trying.

    We are still having meetings and we are still organizing all across the United States. One such meeting will be held on March 27 in Laurel. The details of this meeting can be found on the Internet at http://mrgrg-ms.org/meet.html. This meeting is being organized by Jim Whittington. Make plans to attend contacting Jim by phone or fax at (601) 426-9734 or by e-mail at jimw@c-gate.net.

    (20). Are today's promises to recruits different? - published 20 Apr 1999

    At the Military Retiree Summit Meeting in Laurel on March 27, speakers included former Congressman Mike Parker, Congressman Charles Pickering, Congressman Ronnie Shows, Col. George (Bud) Day (MOH), representatives from the National Association of Uniform Services, Coalition of Retired Military Veterans, Retired Military Alliance, and the Class Act Group.

    The 377 in attendance represented nine states and many veterans groups, such as TREA, TROA, DAV, the Military Retirees Coalition of Texas. The U.S. Naval Home in Gulfport was also represented.

    The mission of the meeting was to keep alive the military retiree medical care broken promise issue, to rejuvenate the military retiree community, and bring to life military retiree esprit de corps. The spirit of the meeting was bipartisan in terms of the political participants and the veterans organizations present. The main theme was military veterans' benefits and the restoration of promised medical care for military retirees. We discussed ways by which we might encourage the United States government to keep the promises that were made to its Armed Forces in the 1940-to-1980 time frame.

    We want to believe that promises currently being made to recruit people into the military are no different, in intent, than those promises that were made to us. We ask ourselves if the members of Congress who now sanction promises being made to its Armed Forces are any different from those folks who made promises to us? We wonder why a government that can establish laws such as truth-in-lending and truth-in-advertising cannot in truth keep promises to its military veterans and its military retirees.

    (21). Were we wrong to believe a promise? - published 23 May 1999

    Picture this: An old man sitting at a busy intersection displaying a placard bearing the words "MILITARY RETIREE BEING PUNISHED BY CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR BELIEVING A MEDICAL CARE PROMISE."

    Take a long, hard look at the old man. He could be the type of person who would save Private Ryan. He could be an ex-POW who has been punished beyond any misery that you could imagine. He could be a Medal of Honor winner. Or, he could be a man who simply did his military job.

    What do we really know about this old man? We know that he is a trusting soul and a little bit gullible. We know that as a military man he believed what he was told. We know that he had an obligation to believe what he was told. We know that he trusted his military and elected civilian leaders, as he was expected to do.

    As you think about this old man, ask yourself, "What does he hope to accomplish by putting himself on display?" He must be aware that he is annoying people.

    Then think about this. Do you have any reason to believe that tomorrow you will be driven from your home by an enemy force and then have to watch as your home is set on fire? Do you think that you may soon have to flee for your life because your neighborhood is being overrun by hostile military? Take another look at the old man. Do you think it is possible that you don't have to worry about these things because of something the old man did a long time ago?

    Maybe you could take the time to ask the old man, "What do you want from me?"

    I bet he will say, "I just want you to listen to what I have to say and give me due consideration."

    Watch for the old man! You may not see him right away, but he will be there.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (22). Does anyone care about broken promises? - published 16 June 1999

    "Many military health care beneficiaries, particularly military retirees, their dependents, and those representing their interests, allege that they were promised 'free health care for life at military facilities' as part of their 'contractual agreement' when they entered the armed forces. Efforts to locate authoritative documentation of such promises have not been successful. Congressional report language and at least two recent court cases have rejected retiree claims seeking 'free care at military facilities.' These have held that the current medical benefit structure made up of military health care facilities, Tricare and Medicare provide lifetime health care to military members, retirees and their respective dependents. Nevertheless, claims continue to be made, particularly by those seeking additional benefits from the Department of Defense, or attempting to prevent the actual or perceived reductions in benefits."

    The preceding paragraph was extracted from the summary section of a 12-page Congressional Research Service Report for Congress, 98-1006 F, Military Health Care: The Issue of "Promised" Benefits, dated Dec. 21,1998. I strongly suggest that military retirees and other folks who might be interested in the preservation of the United States Armed Forces, read this report in its entirety.

    If you have been following my letters to The Sun Herald, you know that I have been crusading to keep the "military retiree medical care broken promise issue" alive since June 1996. This is letter No. 22.

    I have promised the military retirees that I would never give up, but I am growing weary. At this point I need some advice. I need to be told that I should shut up and go away or that I should continue. You can tell me here in this forum by expressing your views, pro or con.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (23). What else can we do to get your attention? - published 5 Aug 1999

    On July 10. a group of military retirees gathered at the intersection of U.S. 90 and Main Street in Biloxi. We were there to make you aware of a tragic situation that will wreck the United States Armed Forces if allowed to continue. We were there to tell you about the breaking of a medical-care promise made to military retirees, the closing of military bases, and its effects.

    The placards we displayed were designed to get your attention. We used the name "Private Ryan" on a couple of the placards because we thought it might catch your eye and cause you to think. We told you that 58 military hospitals or medical centers have been closed. We told you that 26 states have no major military hospitals. We put our bodies on display (something we really didn't want to do) to make you aware, in an indirect way, that if the dismantling of the U.S. military continues it will have a detrimental effect on the future of your children and grandchildren.

    Yes, I have a very special interest in this dismantling process because it is eliminating the facilities that are necessary to keep the medical-care promise made to me and millions like me by the Department of Defense and sanctioned by the U.S. Congress.

    The dismantling of the military is supposed to be saving you tax dollars. I'm sure that you must have noted the reduction of taxes withheld from your paycheck, after all the dismantling process has been going on since 1988.

    The breaking of the medical-care promise to the military retiree is having a devastating effect on the well-being of the United States military; morale is down, trained personnel are leaving, and difficulties are being encountered in meeting recruiting goals.

    Hey, you don't have to believe me, check it out for yourself.

    FLOYD H. SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (24). We had a duty to believe our commander - published 1 Sep 1999

    "You had a good home but you left. You had a good home but you left. Sound off, one, two. Sound off, three, four. Break it on down, one, two, three, four, one, two."

    From 1951 to 1971 I heard that cadence called hundreds of times. I remember it from Carswell AFB in the early 1950s when the entire squadron would be marched to the base theater for Commander's Call.

    The squadron commander would take the stage and would tell us lots of stuff. Many times we were told that if we spent 20 years in the military and retired we would get free medical care for ourselves and our dependents for as long as we lived.

    In the early 1950s Carswell was a Strategic Air Command base. The SAC commander was Gen. Curtis E. LeMay. What we were being told at Commander's Call came down from the SAC commander himself.

    Gen. LeMay didn't take any nonsense and he didn't pass out any. If I had ever told the general that I didn't believe what he was telling me, then I wouldn't be writing this letter. The general would have, justifiably, put me on the street with a slick sleeve. I believed what I was being told. I had a duty to believe.

    Now some folks are telling me that I should not have believed what I was told concerning medical care after retirement. They are telling me that things change. They are telling me that I should consider myself lucky to have what I have.

    If he were alive today, I wonder what Gen. LeMay would say about the breaking of the promises he made to us while we were serving under his command. Maybe he would say that we should drop something and blow the leaves off the trees so that we could see what is really going on.

    FLOYD H. SEARS
    Ocean Springs

    (25). No recruiters could top fairly treated retirees - published 4 Oct 1999

    The military services are experiencing difficulties in recruiting and retaining adequate numbers of enlisted personnel. Recent recruiting efforts have not met goals, and military personnel are opting to leave the military at rates too high to maintain an adequate military force.

    From 1951 to 1971, potential military recruits were told that if they joined and spent 20 or more years in the military and retired they would receive free medical care for themselves and their eligible dependents, in military treatment facilities, for as long as they lived.

    However, in a recent court decision against the Coalition of Retired Military Veterans, an appeals court said, "Military regulations never provided for unconditional lifetime free medical care or authorized recruiters to promise care as an inducement to joining or staying in the military." The court also said, "The decision to provide medical care to military retirees should be up to Congress and the president, not the courts."

    Military retirees didn't create the current recruiting/retention problem, but we can solve it by putting about 1.5 million military retirees on the streets and the Internet as military recruiters. But first, Congress must take action to provide military retirees the medical care they were promised after retirement.

    As military recruiters we cannot explain away the medical care broken-promise issue. We cannot tell a potential recruit or a member of the active-duty military that medical care after retirement was never promised. We know that the promise was made and we know that the promise was sanctioned by the Department of Defense and the Congress of the United States.

    Congress must act now, to keep the promises that were made, so the military retirees can go to work and solve the recruiting problem.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (26). Retirees appreciate Fordice's proclamation - published 6 Nov 1999

    My very sincere thanks to Gov. Kirk Fordice for his proclamation in support of the military retiree community.

    State of Mississippi Office of the Governor A Proclamation

    By Gov. Kirk Fordice

    Whereas, America's retired military veterans have made immeasurable contributions to and countless sacrifices for the state of Mississippi and our nation; and

    Whereas, World War II and Korean War military retirees constitute a significant portion of the aging population in the state of Mississippi and the United States; and

    Whereas, prior to the age of 65 years, these retirees and their immediate families were provided health services at military facilities or through other United States Department of Defense programs, but these retirees lose a significant portion of health care due to Medicare eligibility; and

    Whereas, many military retirees live on limited and fixed incomes and cannot obtain quality health care from other sources. Many retirees have found difficulty in obtaining adequate medical attention because they live in areas where there are no medical treatment facilities or where the medical treatment facilities have been significantly downsized; and

    Whereas, these men and women have served our nation with pride and honor. They deserve our highest respect and the health care they were guaranteed:

    Now, therefore, I, Kirk Fordice, governor of the state of Mississippi, hereby commend our retired military veterans and proclaim my support for honoring the promises made to those distinguished citizens by ensuring that quality and access to health care be maintained.

    Kirk Fordice, Governor State of Mississippi

    FLOYD H. SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (27). Lott is listening, so please speak up now - published 26 Dec 1999

    On Dec. 16, a military retiree delegation met with Sen. Trent Lott at his Pascagoula office about the nation's broken promise of medical care to military retirees. Sen. Lott was very attentive to what we had to say.

    Our opening remarks centered on selected items from the military retiree medical care broken promise issue "talking points" found on the Internet at http://mrgrg-ms.org/doc12.html.

    We discussed HR2966, the "Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act," which has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Ronnie Shows and co-sponsored by more than 190 congresspersons, including Mississippi Reps. Roger Wicker, Bennie Thompson, Charles Pickering Jr. and Gene Taylor.

    We asked Sen. Lott to introduce and/or co-sponsor a companion bill in the Senate.

    Many military retirees, across the nation, have been involved in the political process that resulted in the introduction of HR2966. We have traveled a long way and we have accomplished much, but we have a long way to go.

    Please support the HR2966 effort. Clip this letter, make copies, attach a stick-on with your, name, address, telephone number, and a short message. Then, mail your comments to Sen. Lott and Rep. Taylor. Thank them for being concerned about the promises that are/were made to the active duty military and then broken after they leave the military.

    Thank them for being concerned about the security of this nation and its future generations. Thank them for taking those actions that will cause the active duty military to have confidence in the promises made by the United States government.

    You can make a positive difference, but first you must get involved. Do it today.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (28). Military retirees need a Lott of help - published 11 Feb 2000

    Realizing that the leaders of any organization cannot get a job done without help from its members, and knowing that help was needed, a drastic change has occurred within the military retiree community and its organizations, which started as a grassroots effort.

    It is difficult to pinpoint exactly where this effort started. Their are several groups that could take credit, including groups in Texas, South Carolina and Florida. Knowing that it was necessary for the grassroots effort to continue, a Mississippi group of military retirees got involved, and as the result of a meeting in Laurel, which included military retirees from other states, HR2966 was introduced in the Congress by Rep. Ronnie Shows.

    HR2966, the "Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act," has become the granddaddy of a series of bills in the House and Senate which, if passed, will restore much of the medical care that was promised to military retirees who spent 20 or more years in the military.

    A full examination of this series of bills, HR2966, S2003, HR3573 and S2013, is not possible here, but everything you need to know can be found on the Internet at http://thomas.loc.gov/, the THOMAS Legislative Information on the Internet web site. Simply type in the bill number, click on "search," and follow the instructions. These bills will die as introduced unless you do what has to be done now. You need to get smart (read the bills). You need to find out who is and who is not supporting these bills. You need to write letters to your own and other congressional representatives asking them for their support. You need to get involved. Without your help the military health care system for military retirees will continue to be what it is now for many military retirees, just another broken promise.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (29). What will happen when Tricare test ends? - published 22 March 2000

    The Tricare Senior Prime test will end at Keesler AFB on Dec. 31, less than 10 months away.

    As this real-life drama unfolds, will my wife and I get kicked out of the military health-care system again in year 2000, like we did in 1995 (because of age) when Tricare Prime arrived?

    Will we have to go through the physical pain and emotional stress of making the transition from a military treatment facility to civilian treatment facilities again? Will we have to undergo all of the hideous medical tests that are necessary to have our medical conditions and medical records reestablished in the civilian medical community again?

    Have we been good or bad guinea pigs in this great Tricare experiment? Is the full Congress aware that the Tricare Senior Prime test is almost over? Has anybody added up the test scores? Is the Tricare Senior Prime test passing or failing?

    Will the Congress stop its political bickering and join together to solve the national disaster of broken promises of medical care to our military retirees? Will the president and the Congress allow the dismantling of the military to continue? Will the social experiments within the military continue?

    Will the younger generation continue to be turned away from military service because of broken promises? Will the American people ever wake up and demand that the Congress take those actions necessary to fix the broken promise issues that are plaguing the United States military? Will Sen. Lott co-sponsor S2003 and support HR3573?

    Stay tuned for further developments as this Washington, D.C., soap opera continues.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (30). Congress should restore what we were promised - published 18 April 2000

    On May 11, a group of military retirees and veterans will gather in Washington for an event called "All Veterans Muster on the Mall" to deliver this message:

    "Having served honorably in the armed forces of the United States of America for periods of 20 years or more, as required by applicable statutes governing the stipulated benefits which shall accrue to qualified retirees, it is our position and contention that throughout our years of faithful service to America, we were constantly apprised by our superiors that our government guaranteed that certain retirement benefits would accrue to us, among which would be no-fee medical and dental care in all U.S. military medical facilities for ourselves and our eligible dependents for life.

    "During the many years of our active duty we were never apprised of the fact that, through the Dependent Medical Care Act, 1956 (70 Stat 250) and Title 10 USC 1074, Section 301, the United States Congress had reneged on the oral contract made to us by official representatives of the United States government, and had enabled the commanding officers of military medical facilities to deny medical and dental care to ourselves and our eligible dependents after our retirement.

    "By enacting this statute in 1956, the Congress swept away more than a hundred years of various statutory mandates for the military to provide medical care to America's military-retired veterans and their eligible dependents.

    "We therefore beseech the United States Congress to recognize the extreme medical care financial burden, and psychological distress which has been visited upon our class of veterans by the enactment of that law, and to speedily pass legislation which will restore our earned and previously guaranteed retirement health care benefits."

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (31). How would you respond to this situation? - published 8 June 2000

    Let's suppose the company you retired from, the company that promised you medical care benefits after retirement, tells you they have changed their minds and you will no longer receive the medical care benefits you were promised.

    Let's say new people are now running the company, and they say they didn't promise you anything. Let's say the folks now running the company tell you that you misunderstood, and no such promise was made. Let's say they tell you that even if the promise was made, it wasn't legal.

    Let's say they tell you it will just cost too much to keep the promise.

    You would say, "that's the way the mop flops," and you would go about your business as if nothing had happened, right? You wouldn't join together with other folks, in the same boat, and try to do something about your misfortune, would you? You would just roll over and play dead, right?

    The answer is no! You wouldn't lie down and quit. You would stand and fight, just as the military retirees are doing. You would be writing letters, sending e-mail, and calling on the telephone, asking your representatives and senators for support. You might even picket in front of their local offices. I'm sure you would write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. You might get more people involved via the Internet. You might build Web pages and rent billboards.

    Yes, you would stand up and fight, just as the military retirees are fighting for the broken promise issue. If you don't know what I'm talking about, e-mail me about it.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (32). A few altered words changed countless lives - published 7 July 2000

    Starting before 1951, a promise was made to all members of the U.S. Armed Forces, verbally and in writing, that if they spent 20 or more years in the military and retired they would receive no-cost medical care for themselves and eligible dependents at military treatment facilities for life.

    In 1956, with no fanfare, wording in the U.S. Code was changed from "shall" provide medical care to "will" provide medical care and the words "subject to the availability of space and facilities and the capabilities of the medical and dental staff" were added. This very subtle change of words set us up for what we now call the "military retiree medical care broken promise" issue.

    In 1988, after the hot and cold wars were fought and world peace was achieved, the closing of military bases and military hospitals, where military retirees were supposed to get medical care, began. This was the beginning of the end of the medical care promise for military retirees.

    In 1995, Tricare Prime came to Keesler AFB and I turned 65. At that time military retirees 65 and over could not enroll in Tricare Prime. It was always said that medical care could be obtained on a space-available basis, but in my case no space was available (no appointments could be obtained) and, having no other, choice I was forced onto Medicare.

    Therefore, for me, the medical care promise was broken in 1995. After being on Medicare for three years, I am now enrolled in the Tricare Senior Prime test at Keesler AFB, which is scheduled to end Dec. 31, at which time the promise will be broken again unless the Congress intervenes.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (33). Is this the America that her people want? - published 8 August 2000

    Military retirees and military veterans, through grassroots donations, are posting billboards across the USA in an effort to bring a tragic situation to the attention of the American people. These billboards address the military retiree medical care broken promise and other military veterans' issues.

    In the coming weeks and months we will be looked upon as the villains in this battle to regain what was promised to us while we were on active duty. It will be said that we are working against the military, which is not true. We are simply trying to make the American people aware of a very serious problem.

    To those who think we are wrong in what we are doing, I remind you that we tried to resolve our problem the right way by petitioning the government for a redress of grievances. We are currently going through the courts (which may take more time than we have to live); we have appealed to the Senate and the House via thousands of e-mails and letters; we have met with our representatives.

    We have been successful in getting HR3573 and S2003 introduced in the House and Senate, but the congressional leadership will not let these bills come to the floor for debate.

    It appears that many members of Congress are willing to drag their feet until we are all dead and the problem, like us, no longer exists.

    Is this what the majority of Americans want? What is your opinion? Should the government keep the promises made to its military personnel? If your answer is yes, please tell your representative , otherwise just sit back and watch the demise of the greatest generation, those who have served in the United States military.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (34). Wouldn't you fight for what you earned? - published 14 September 2000

    A billboard, financed by grassroots military retiree donations from all across the United States, has been installed on U.S. 90, going east, between Ocean Springs and Mississippi 57. The billboard says, "Military Retirees Fought for Freedom, Now Congress Denies Earned Health Care."

    Similar billboards have been installed in Hattiesburg; Norfolk, Va.; Fort Worth and El Paso, Texas; San Diego; Oklahoma City; Panama City, Fla.; Hinesville and Statesboro, Ga.; Goldsboro and Dunn, N.C.; and Springfield, Mo.

    More billboards are scheduled for installation in Denver; Niceville, Fla., and 10 more in Virginia. Other installations are in the planning stages.

    These billboards are being installed to make the American people aware of a very ugly and grave injustice being perpetrated on a class of people known as military retirees. We are being cheated out of what is owed to us. Military retirees were guaranteed medical care after retirement, which is now being denied by our government.

    If you wonder why we are so adamant about this issue, and are not willing to give it up, I would ask you this question. Would you be willing to give up your bank account, your life insurance, your Social Security or your Medicare, just to name a few things?

    What are you going to do when you reach the Social Security and Medicare age after paying in for decades and the government tells you that it's not there? Are you going to protest or are you going to tuck your tail and just give it up? I can answer that question, you are going to do the same thing the military retirees are doing and you will probably be more adamant and more vocal.

    The billboard says "Military Retirees Fought for Freedom." Is freedom one of those things you would be willing to give up, or would you fight for it?

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (35). Military retirees' fight can serve as a lesson - published 18 October 2000

    Military retirees' fight can serve as a lesson

    With this letter, I want to thank our Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott, Congressman Gene Taylor and Congressman Ronnie Shows for the huge role they played in the process of directing the Congress to pass the legislation necessary to restore the medical care that was promised to America's military retirees.

    If you have been following The Sun Herald letters to the editor and news articles over the past several years, then you know that the military retirees, the longest serving veterans, have been on a roller coaster ride, trying to regain the medical care that was promised to each of us during our careers serving this country.

    Since before 1995 a loosely organized grassroots group of military retirees across the nation has been engaged in a life-or-death struggle to regain the medical care we were promised. It has been a long battle, but with the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 we won back most of what we lost.

    We were able to do what we did, influence the Congress, mostly via the Internet. We sent enormous amounts of e-mail, and built thousands of Web pages to advertise our plight. In addition we used regular mail, faxes, phone calls, pickets, letters to the editor and billboards. It took a long time to get the job done, but in keeping with our military training we never gave up.

    To all of you young folks who seek to change the way things are done, there is a lesson to be learned from what happened to the military retirees. Don't wait and assume that the Congress will do the right thing. Remember that unless you tell them, the Congress may not know what is right and wrong. Get involved. Write that letter and vote. Tell your senator and your congressperson what you think. It's the American way.

    FLOYD H. SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (36). Military retirees must act now on health care - published 2 Mar 2001

    If you are a Medicare-eligible military retiree, a Medicare-eligible dependent of a military retiree, or a Medicare-eligible widow of a military retiree, then you should know about HR 4205, a bill that was passed during the 106th Congress and was signed into law on October 30, 2000.

    Specifically you should be concerned about the Title VII: Health Care Provisions portion of HR 4205 because it addresses the military retiree medical care broken promise issue and will have a profound affect on your medical care future. The details of this law, which is being called “Tricare For Life” can be found on the Internet at     http://thomas.loc.gov/


    However, your time would be better spent by looking at     http://tricare.osd.mil/ndaa/fast_facts.htm which illustrates the key features of the law, as it will be implemented, and what you need to do now. This Fast Facts Web Page is an Official Web Page of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) and the TRICARE Management Activity.

    As indicated on this web page, there are certain actions you must take to insure that you are eligible for and can enroll in TFL.


    Thousands of grassroots military retirees have devoted many hours of effort toward making TFL a reality. We have resolved many problems along the way, but we still need your help. We ask you to spread the word to all military retirees, especially retiree widows, about TFL.

    I am not an expert in this matter, but I will do all that I can to help you get the TFL information you need if you will e-mail me.

    Floyd H. Sears
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (37). Grassroots action made a difference for retirees - published 21 Aug 2001


    On Dec. 1, 1995, I got the shock of my life. I, along with other military retirees age 65 and over, lost access to medical care at military treatment facilities, which we had been promised us for serving 20 or more years in the military.

    Up to that point, I and many other military retirees had never been active in politics, but we found that we had to take part or get taken apart. We wrote letters and made phone calls to our representatives in Washington. We wrote letters to newspapers, and to anyone else we thought might listen.

    We started looking for other military retirees who were fighting the same fight, and many found the Class Act Group (the class-action lawsuit filed by Col. Bud Day of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.) and joined up.

    We got on the Internet and found hundreds of other military retirees fighting the same fight. We named ourselves the Military Retiree Grass Roots Group - a group of individuals with a common goal of regaining the benefits we were promised.

    The MRGRG is not an organization. We influence, support, and communicate with each other via the Internet, but each individual is responsible for his/her own actions. If you have ever taken any actions via e-mails, letters, faxes, phone calls, etc., to influence the Congress, in reference to our common goals, then you are a member of the MRGRG.

    Our actions helped to produced a program called Tricare For Life. The details of this program can be found in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (HR 4205) which was signed into law on Oct. 30, 2000, as Public Law 106-398.

    If you are a military retiree, 65 or over, or a doctor who accepts Medicare-eligible military retirees, then get the facts via the Internet, or send me an e-mail.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (38). Speak out this month on military health care - published 6 Feb 2002

    Prior to 1951, personnel in positions of authority acting as agents of the United States Government promised me, and millions 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, at Military Treatment Facilities for as long as we lived. This promise was made to encourage the trained and experienced military personnel to remain in the military. Billions of dollars were saved by not having to train replacements every two to four years. 

     In 1956 the Congress altered the US Code to add the words “subject to the availability of space and facilities and the capabilities of the medical and dental staff”, and the stage was set for the breaking of the medical-care promise.

     In the late 1980s, Congress and the Department of Defense started to close military bases and medical facilities. In 1995 Tricare came to Keesler AFB; I turned 65, was not eligible to enroll in Tricare Prime, had to leave Keesler AFB, go on Medicare, and the medical care promise was broken for me an many others.

     Thousands of military retirees have worked to bring about a change, called Tricare for Life, a Pharmacy entitlement and a Medicare Supplement for the Medicare-eligible military retirees and their dependents. We have been able to salvage part of the medical-care promise, but some of the military retirees who are not yet 65 and are under some of the other Tricare plans are not doing as well.

     On Feb. 18 and 19, TRICARE Town Meetings will be held in Mississippi at ELLISVILLE, JACKSON, and SUMMIT. See details on the Internet at http://mrgrg-ms.org/townmeet.html.

     These meetings are designed to give the military retiree community the opportunity to air grievances, make comments and suggestions. Please pass this along to any military retirees you may know in the towns listed above.

    Floyd Sears
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (39). Tricare and supplements pay zip without Medicare - published 10 April 2002

    What do an over 65 military retiree and an over 65 non-military retiree have in common? Answer: MEDICARE. What else do we have in common? Answer: the possibility of losing Medicare.

     Did you know that the current formula used to determine payments to Doctors who accept the Medicare assignment, adopted by Congress as part of the 1997 Balanced Budget Act, cuts payments by 5.4 percent starting in 2002? And that these cuts will continue, until 2005, until they reach about 28 percent?

    Did you know that many Doctors across the nation have closed their practices to new Medicare patients, reacting to what they say are below-cost payments for their services?

     Many Medicare eligible military retirees are saying, “What’s the problem? I have Tricare for Life.”

     The problem is that TFL is nothing more than a Medicare supplement. If Medicare doesn’t pay first then TFL, in most cases, doesn’t pay anything.

     This same scenario is true for non-military retirees on Medicare with a Medicare supplement. If Medicare doesn’t pay first then, in most cases, your supplement doesn’t pay anything.

     Many non-military retirees say, “What’s the problem with you military retirees? You get free medical care.”

     This is not so. Medicare eligible military retirees and their Medicare eligible dependents must have Medicare part A and pay $54 each for their Medicare part B, just like everybody else, to qualify for TFL. This “free” medical for my wife and me costs us $1,296 each year plus co-pays.

    So what can we do? We can encourage our representatives in Washington to support H.R. 3351 and S. 1707 (“The Medicare Physician Payment Fairness Act of 2001”).

     Young and old people should act now! The medical care you save maybe your own.

    Floyd Sears
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (40). Broken-promise issue now spelled out on the Internet - published 10 June 2002

    Serve for 20 years in the military and retire and you will receive free medical care for yourself and your eligible dependents at military treatment facilities for as long as you and your eligible dependents live. The United States Congress sanctioned and the military hierarchy authorized the making of this promise. It was in the US Code. It was the law. But, laws get changed, and people suffer the consequences. This is what happened to millions of people who served in the military from World War II to the early 1990s who believed this medical care promise.

    This broken promise issue has developed into the greatest swindle of all time. See http://mrgrg-ms.org/swindle1.html

    Until recently this complete story was not documented, in any coherent manner, but now it is and it’s posted on the Internet at http://mrgrg-ms.org/whitepaper.html. A downloadable copy is also posted on the Internet at http://briefcase.yahoo.com/fhs1713 in the Adobe and MS Word formats.

    It was my pleasure to have been associated with this dedicated group of military retirees, whose names are posted in the document, who wrote and produced the Military Health Care and 2002 Priorities White Paper.

    This White Paper Group is a small part of a larger Military Retiree Grass Roots Group that has materialized across the nation. The MRGRG is not an organization it is simply a group of "individuals" with a common goal of regaining the medical care benefits that were promised to military retirees before their retirement. E-mail me for details.

    Floyd Sears
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (41). Medicare cuts shrink your access to health care - published 6 Aug 2002

    I need to tell you about the greatest swindle of all time, a broken contract with America's military retirees, and about the second-greatest swindle of all time, the cut in payments to Medicare providers.

    I need to tell you about: the MRGRG, the military retiree medical care broken promise issue, a history of the fight to regain what was promised, the letters to the editor, the talking points, the billboard project, the White Paper, the Colonel Day lawsuit, the last court ruling, the government's appeal, and other military veteran/ retiree issues. I can't tell you in this letter, but I can tell you starting with my home page at     http://mrgrg-ms.org/

    Let me tell you why you may be interested. The second-greatest swindle of all time, which is now in progress, undoubtedly will affect you, your parents, your grandparents, your brothers, sisters, and many friends.

    When Tricare for Life was passed, the military retiree community thought it had gained a major victory. Little did we know that payments to Medicare providers would be cut and we could lose what we had gained with TFL.

    The Mayo Clinic, in Jacksonville, Fla., recently announced that it will no longer accept Medicare Part B, which covers outpatient care and services. Since there are more Medicare cuts to come, how long do you think it will be before the clinics here along the Mississippi Gulf Coast follow suit?

    Folks, this is not the work of a crackpot or a whining old man. This is coming from someone who has been bit once and doesn't want to be bitten again. Until now, I've needed you, but you haven't needed me. Now we need each other. We must tell Congress to stop this madness, the cuts to Medicare, and we need to tell them now.

    Remember this... Congress cannot hear what is not being said.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs

    (42). You can close your eyes, but this problem won't disappear - published 16 Sept 2002

    When I was a little boy, my mother and older sisters played a game with me that went like this: I would close my eyes and my mother and sisters would pretend that I had disappeared. They would say, "Where did Floyd go? We can't see Floyd anymore."

    As I recall I thought that was really neat. In order to disappear, all I had to do was close my eyes.

    Then, one day while I was out playing, an older boy who wanted the toy I was playing with said he would beat me up if I didn't give it to him. I didn't want him to take my toy, so I closed my eyes and I disappeared.

    That was the day I found out, the hard way, that I could not disappear by closing my eyes. That big boy slapped me around and took my toy.

    Well, old folks, the big boys are in the process of slapping you around and taking away your toy. They are cutting payments to Medicare providers which, in turn, will cause you to lose your Medicare providers and your medical care.

    It is very sad that the majority of the Medicare-eligible folks don't know about the Medicare cuts and will not know until their doctors tell them the bad news: "We cannot afford to see you anymore."

    We must stop this foolishness. On the Internet, go to www.MRGRG-MS.org, scroll down to "Stop cuts to Medicare providers" and execute the plan.

    You can close your eyes, but this problem will not disappear.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (43). To every trainee that I misled, I apologize - published 6 Jan 2003

    As a basic training instructor at Lackland AFB from 1958 to 1961, I was required to and did tell basic trainees this: "Serve for 20 years in the military and retire, and you will receive free medical care for yourself and your eligible dependents, at military treatment facilities, for as long as you and your eligible dependents live." This came from an official USAF lesson plan. I also made the same promise as a supervisor to many of my subordinates to encourage them to re-enlist and make the USAF a career.

    The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has now concluded in the William O. Schism and Robert L. Reinlie v. United States, "We cannot readily imagine more sympathetic plaintiffs than the retired officers of the World War II and Korean War era involved in this case. They served their country for at least 20 years with the understanding that when they retired they and their dependents would receive full free health care for life. The promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon. Again, however, because no authority existed to make such promises in the first place, and because Congress has never ratified or acquiesced to this promise, we have no alternative but to uphold the judgment against the retirees' breach-of-contract claim."

    With all that said, I now apologize to the many hundreds of people that I misled in the USAF, as a basic training instructor and a supervisor, by making what the courts now say was an unauthorized promise. In my defense, I can only say that I did what I was required to do. I now ask for your forgiveness. I am truly very sorry to have misled you into believing the medical care after retirement promise.

    FLOYD SEARS
    MSGT, USAF, 1951-1971, Retired
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (44). Important story was bumped by duct tape - published 23 Feb 2003

    On 12 Feb 2003 approximately 1,500 military retiree veterans marched, from nearby staging areas, to the steps of the Supreme Court to focus attention on the 22,000 member class action lawsuit seeking justice from the the nation they served for 20 or more years. The lawsuit addresses the broken promise of health care for military retirees.

    The national news media, being fully aware of this event, had more important things to do on that day -- it was the day that     a shortage of duct tape became the big news event.

    While these veterans, who dedicated 20 to 30 years their lives to this country, hobbled up to the steps of the Supreme Court to protest an appeals court decision, our major newspapers and television news teams were visiting the hardware sections of discount stores to televise empty shelves.

    See photos of the story that was bumped by duct tape at     http://mrgrg-ms.org/march.html

    It should be very important for America to know that the bravest and best of its citizens are being refused the medical care they were promised by the same government they defended during their most productive years.

    As our Armed Forces once again gets ready for war, should the American people and the United States Congress forget about the promises made to its Armed Forces of previous wars?

    Floyd Sears
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (45). Please, don’t limit your military support to yellow ribbons - published 3 May 2003

    The article “Nation must put its money where its patriotism is,” by Myriam Marquez, published April 30 on the Opinion page, tells it like it is.

    I’ll bet you read it and immediately looked the other way because surely the article wasn’t talking about you. I’ll bet that you just recently put yellow ribbons around the old oak tree to display your support for the troops fighting in Iraq. Hey! I’m not knocking you for doing that, I’m glad that you supported the troops, but your support should not stop there.

    The troops that fought in Iraq go on to become military veterans and military retirees just like the troops that fought in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and the many other hellholes that the active-duty troops are sent to.

    If you really want to show true support for the troops, then you will follow up and you will ask your representatives in Washington why they continue to allow promises that are made to the troops while they are on active duty to be broken after they serve their country.

    The troops are obligated to die if necessary to fulfill their end of the bargain. And, Congress is obligated to ensure that this nation’s promises are kept. Yet, they deny that the promises were made and delay the process of keeping the promises until the military veterans and military retirees get tired of fighting or get too old to fight for what they were promised.

    Look at     http://mrgrg-ms.org/ and ask your senators and congresspersons if they know what I’m talking about. Then stand back and watch their soft-shoe routine while they tell you what they have done, or are going to do, for the military veterans and military retirees. Contact me via e-mail if you don’t understand what I’m talking about.

    Floyd Sears
    Ocean Springs
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (46). Why wouldn't a court uphold this contract? - published 16 Aug 2003

    You agree to make 20 payments to purchase an automobile. The dealer receives and makes full use of your 20 payments. Now the car is yours, right? Wrong! The dealer says you can not have the car because the salesman who sold it to you was not authorized to make the contract. You say that this is ridiculous, and of course you are right because you had a contract. There was an offer and an acceptance of the offer and you fulfilled your part of the contract.

    What if you are made this offer: Serve for 20 years in the military, and retire, and you will receive free medical care for yourself and your eligible dependents, at military treatment facilities, for as long as you and your eligible dependents live, and you accept. Is that a contract? Yes it is, but beware. The US Court of Appeals for the federal circuit has said, in the WILLIAM O. SCHISM and ROBERT L. REINLIE v. the UNITED STATES case, “We cannot readily imagine more sympathetic plaintiffs than the retired officers of the World War II and Korean War era involved in this case. They served their country for at least 20 years with the understanding that when they retired they and their dependents would receive full free health care for life. The promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon. Again, however, because no authority existed to make such promises in the first place, and because Congress has never ratified or acquiesced to this promise, we have no alternative but to uphold the judgment against the retirees' breach-of-contract claim”.

    So, what do we have here? We have the military hierarchy that made a promise from the early 1940’s to the early 1990’s they were not authorized to make, and we have the greatest swindle of all time… a broken contract with America's military retirees. See <www.mrgrg-ms.org> for details.

    Floyd Sears
    Biloxi
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (47). Not all military veterans are also military retirees - published 12 Sep 2003

    Yesterday, while eating breakfast at a restaurant and having a conversation with the young lady who was my server, I asked if she had access to the Internet. She said yes, and I asked her to take a look at the Retired Military Advocate Web page and gave her a card.

    She looked at the card and immediately asked, "What is a military retiree?"

    I responded, "A military retiree is a military veteran who served their country for 20 or more years."

    She followed that with, "What is a military veteran?"

    I said, "A military veteran is a person who served less than 20 years in the military and gets a discharge."

    Then the light came on and she said, "Oh, you mean a vet!"

    Now, this young woman appeared to be a very bright young lady. However, if she didn't know what a military retiree is, then there must be many other folks who don't know. How about the 535 members of the U.S. Congress? Do they know what a military retiree is? It could be they don't know. How about the thousands of people that work for and within the U.S. Congress. Do they know what a military retiree is, or are they like the young lady I talked to who knew only the one label - "vet"?

    There is a big difference - in many cases, 20 or more years of difference. A lifetime career difference.

    I'm not taking a cheap shot at the U.S. Congress, or the people who work in congressional offices, but if they, or the average person on the street, don't know what a military retiree is then it's up to us military retirees to educate them.

    If they don't know, then shame on them. If we don't educate them, then shame on us.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Biloxi
    fsears@bellsouth.netWeb page:     http://MRGRG-MS.org/

    (48). Spend tax dollars on service, not profits - published 19 Oct 2003

    Spend tax dollars on service, not profits

    Re: Sun Herald article of Oct. 10, "Keesler housing plan worries Taylor," which contained the following paragraph: "Privatization, a Bush administration management mantra for everything from prisons to national forest land, would put government housing in the hands of individual contractors. The government then would rent the buildings from the contractors at a price that covers all maintenance costs and includes a profit."

    The American taxpayers need to dwell on the "and includes a profit" part of that description. The military health care system is being gradually turned over to for-profit contractors.

    In reference to the Keesler housing, U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor said, "They already made a decision that they can save money by privatization... . I challenged them to come back to me with all the numbers."

    I would like to challenge them (whoever they are) to come back to me with the numbers concerning how much has been saved by closing military treatment facilities (where military retirees are supposed to be getting health care) and turning the military health care system over to individual contractors where the cost for health care includes a profit.

    If you are a Sun Herald reader then you can't say that you didn't know that this military health care-for-profit scheme was going on, because I've been telling you with letters to the editor. You can say that you ignored it, but you can't say you didn't know about it.

    You need to take a look at who has his hand in your pocket and how much of you tax dollar is going into profits, not service. Privatization! Think about it. How long will it be before the Armed Forces of the United States becomes a contracted, for-profit institution?

    You may want to pay attention to what Rep. Taylor is saying. I think he knows what he is talking about.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Biloxi
    fsears@bellsouth.net
    http://mrgrg-ms.org/

    (49). Military retirees can avoid Medicare Part B Penality - published 26 Feb 2004

    From the 1940s to the 1990s military personnel were told that if they served for 20 or more years in the military, and retired, they would receive free medical care for themselves and their eligible dependents, at military treatment facilities, for as long as they or their eligible dependents lived. As a result many military retirees did not elect to enroll in Medicare Part B because they didn't think they would need it.

    As you probably know the government reneged on this medical care contract. In 2001 Tricare for Life became law. However, in order to enroll in TFL, Medicare-eligible military retirees had to have Medicare Part B. As a result many military retirees are paying the Medicare Part B penalty because they enrolled late.

    If you know a military retiree who is paying the penalty, or has not enrolled because of the penalty, then please bring this MOAA Legislative Update of Feb. 20 to their attention.

    "One of MOAA's significant legislative victories last year was a provision in the Medicare reform bill that will relieve many Tricare For Life beneficiaries from onerous Part B late enrollment penalties. The statute waives late enrollment penalties (as of January 2004) for all Tricare beneficiaries who enrolled in Medicare between Jan. 1, 2001, and Dec. 31, 2004. It also provides a special enrollment period in 2004 for TFL-eligibles who have been holding off enrolling in Part B.

    "Because that special enrollment period, by law, ends on Dec. 31, 2004, it is critical that this provision be implemented as soon as possible. Many potential beneficiaries of the legislation (including 12,000 who reside overseas) will be hard to find and inform, so every day counts... .

    "We expect further details soon, as Medicare finalizes procedures to implement this provision."

    FLOYD SEARS
    Biloxi
    fsears@bellsouth.net
    http://mrgrg-ms.org

    (50). After the praise, will your support still be there - published 25 Mar 2004

    This statement is affixed to every letter I mail.

    "From the 1940s to the 1990s military personnel were told that if they served for 20 or more years in the military, and retired, they would receive free medical care for themselves and their eligible dependents, at military treatment facilities, for as long as they or their eligible dependents lived. That contract has been broken."

    I do this because I'm trying to keep the military retiree medical care broken promise issue alive. It is important to keep this issue alive because steps to prevent swindles like this from happening again have not been taken. Promises made to people that put their life on the line to defend this country should be promises kept.

    Currently much praise is being heaped on our military warriors returning from the war on terror. They deserve all the praise they are getting, and more. However, later in life when they become military retirees or military veterans that praise will disappear and so will the medical care that is required to heal their wounds. This makes me very angry.

    Most of you who are currently passing out the praise will also disappear when these military retirees and military veterans really need your support. Later when they cannot get the medical care they need, and were promised, they will ask for your help. They will ask you to contact your representatives in Washington on their behalf. Will you be there when they need you then or will you be nowhere to be found?

    Or will you continue to do the things that make you feel good, like tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree and wave the flag on Veterans Day, but go silent when the chips are down and your help is really needed?

    FLOYD SEARS
    Biloxi
    http://mrgrg-ms.org/

    (51). Will private-sector retirees face broken promises too? - published 26 May 2004

    On April 22, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission approved a rule that will allow employers to reduce or eliminate health benefits that they offer to older, Medicare-eligible retirees. I'm a military retiree and this ruling apparently has nothing to do with me at this point, but it may set a trend in the civilian world that will spill over into the military retiree community.

    Our Tricare for Life is patterned after the health-care plan available to many people who retire from civilian organizations. That is, after they retire and reach age 65, or become Medicare-eligible, they pay for Medicare Part B and the company they retired from pays them a certain amount that they must use to pay for a Medicare supplement. I know this is true because the Litton Division, DSD, which I retired from, paid me a certain amount to be used to pay for my Medicare supplement until I went under Tricare for Life.

    Here we have a situation developing that is very similar to the military retiree medical care broken-promise issue, which I've been writing about for several years. People, such as the people I retired with from DSD, were also made a medical care after retirement promise. Now, if this EEOC rule stands, the civilian companies that made the promise of health care after retirement can back out of the deal, just as the U.S. government backed out of the deal with military retirees.

    It will be interesting to see how this turns out. Undoubtedly groups of people who are affected by this EEOC rule will get together and sue somebody, just as we sued the government. What position will the U.S. Justice Department - the same Justice Department that was against military retirees in a similar situation - take? Will they be on the side of the people who are being denied what they were promised, or will they be on the side of corporate America?

    FLOYD SEARS
    Biloxi
    fsears@bellsouth.net
    http://mrgrg-ms.org/

    (52). Military retirees got the swindle of all time - published 18 Sept 2004

    On June 2, 2003, the long legal fight to regain the medical care that was promised to military retirees for serving their country for 20 or more years came to an end with these words from the Supreme Court.

    “We understand and appreciate the dissatisfaction of the plaintiffs with the change in the retirement pay system, as they have rendered long and faithful service to our country in time of peace and war. However, if they are to get any relief, it must come from Congress, as this is not within [a court's] jurisdiction.”

    Since that time members of the military retiree community have been lobbying the Congress, via HR 3474 which has 265 cosponsors, to get the “relief” the Supreme Court alluded to. However, the House leadership will not let the bill come to the floor for debate and the Congress has turned a deaf ear to our pleas for justice.

    Take a close look at the following conclusion handed down by the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to see if you might agree that we have the greatest swindle of all time… a broken contract with America’s military retirees.

    “They served their country for at least 20 years with the understanding that when they retired they and their dependents would receive full free health care for life. The promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon. Again, however, because no authority existed to make such promises in the first place, and because Congress has never ratified or acquiesced to this promise, we have no alternative but to uphold the judgment against the retirees' breach-of-contract claim.”

    To put all of this in perspective I invite you to download, look at, and listen to, a PowerPoint presentation, which is on the Internet at     http://mrgrg-ms.org/swindle.ppt. Then I invite you to comment on my “greatest swindle of all time” allegation via The Sun Herald “Sound Off” column or letters to the editor.

    Floyd Sears
    Biloxi
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (53). In this case, justice can't come from the courts - published 24 March 2005

    The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, in the process of finding against military retirees, case number 99-1402, has said:

    ... "They served their country for at least 20 years with the understanding that when they retired they and their dependents would receive full free health care for life. The promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon. Again, however, because no authority existed to make such promises in the first place, and because Congress has never ratified or acquiesced to this promise, we have no alternative but to uphold the judgment against the retirees' breach-of-contract claim."

    THINK ABOUT THIS. If while serving their country, members of the Armed Forces were led to believe that when they retired they and their dependents would receive full free health care for life, and the promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon, and later denied because Congress has never ratified or acquiesced to this promise, then the United States Government is guilty of the greatest swindle of all time --- a broken contract with America's military retirees. (See the full "swindle" story on the Internet via a series of narrated web pages starting at     http://mrgrg-ms.org/swindle00.html)

    Military retirees sought justice in the United States Court system, and justice was denied. The court, in an apologetic manner, has now passed the buck to the Congress by saying that "Perhaps Congress will consider using its legal power to address the moral claims raised by Schism and Reinlie on their own behalf, and indirectly for other affected retirees."

    The military retiree group, affected by the above court ruling, is now seeking justice via the "Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act", HR 602 and S 407, and it’s up to the United States Congress to correct this injustice.

    Floyd Sears
    Biloxi
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (54). Promised medical care is going, going, gone - published 10 June 2005

    In 1995, military retirees who were 65 and over had to leave Keesler AFB Medical Center, go on Medicare, and pay for a Medicare supplement, even though they had been promised medical care for life if they served for 20 or more years in the military and retired.

    This was not a big deal to most non-military retirees because they reasoned, some via jealousy and resentment, that military retirees already got too much for services rendered. The fact that a crime - the greatest swindle of all time, a broken contract with America's military retirees - was being committed didn't mean much to anybody except the affected military retirees.

    Well, a group known as the Military Retiree Grass Roots Group fought back, and we made enough noise, via letters, e-mail, pickets, billboards, and a lawsuit to get the attention of the Congress and we got Tricare for Life.

    Since the early 1990s this group has been trying to get your attention and alert you to the fact that if you do not take part in the political process it will take you apart.

    Now, the current BRAC plan will downsize the Keesler AFB Medical Center to an ambulatory clinic. Do we have your attention now?

    I've said all of that to say this: Unless you, the military retirees, the military veterans, and other people affected by the latest BRAC, wake up and get your heads out of the sand then the Keesler AFB Medical Center will, in fact, become a clinic and will eventually cease to exist. The same thing is already happening to the VA Hospital, and you know this is true because the downsizing there has already started.

    If the BRAC goes as planned, military retirees who have been using Keesler for medical care will be competing with the entire veterans' community for care at the VA Hospital.

    Now, either we stand up and make noise together or we go down together; the choice is yours.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Biloxi
    Web:     http://mrgrg-ms.org/
    E-mail:     fsears@bellsouth.net

    (55). In 41 years, promises cannot be fulfilled for those who are gone - published 17 July 2005

    "To combat such misconceptions and perversions, Mississippians should constantly be prepared to do whatever is right about whatever is wrong."

    These words in a recent Sun Herald editorial, concerning an injustice that occurred 41 years ago, inspired me to write this letter to the editor.

    Perhaps 41 years from today the legal scholars of that era will revisit a decision rendered by the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Case 99-1402. The court said, "They served their country for at least 20 years with the understanding that when they retired they and their dependents would receive full free health care for life. The promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon."

    But, they followed that with, "Again, however, because no authority existed to make such promises in the first place, and because Congress has never ratified or acquiesced to this promise, we have no alternative but to uphold the judgment against the retirees' breach-of-contract claim."

    I disagree. The court did have an alternative. They could have stood up and said no matter what the Congress did or did not do this was a contract and it must be honored, as a lower court had already ruled.

    But, this didn't fit in with the current long-range scheme of things, and the tax dollars that were used in the past to maintain the military are instead being diverted into the pockets of the profit-takers.

    I bring this greatest swindle of all time to your attention, again, because I am a Mississippian and I am "prepared to do whatever is right about whatever is wrong."

    Forty-one years from now, or sooner, the legal scholars will take another look at this court decision and will ask: How did this slip through the cracks?

    I wish I could be there when this happens.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Biloxi
    http://mrgrg-ms.org/
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (56). Military promise was clear and oft-repeated - published 3 Aug 2005

    In his July 28 Military Update, Tom Philpott wrote, "Despite the gains, GAO still found officers and enlisted leaders in its focus groups expressing concern about eroding retirement and health care benefits. The report chides the Defense Department for failing to educate members effectively about their compensation, thus allowing "a culture of dissatisfaction and misunderstanding to perpetuate."

    I'm not taking issue with what Tom Philpott wrote, but I am taking issue with any report that says the Defense Department does not educate members of the military effectively about their compensation.

    From 1951 to 1971 the military educated me, and millions like me, very thoroughly concerning the lifetime medical care that would be provided at military treatment facilities if we served for 20 or more years and retired. A decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the federal circuit backs me up on this. There never was any misunderstanding about what I was being promised. I never re-enlisted without being thoroughly briefed on many issues, and one of those issues was medical care after retirement, and I was required to sign a document indicating that I understood what I had been told. Unfortunately, I do not have copies of those documents.

    Members of the military are thoroughly educated, but the current members of the Department of Defense and the Congress have not been effectively educated concerning the medical care promise, thus allowing a culture of misunderstanding to perpetuate.

    When I enlisted, and each time I re-enlisted, I took an oath that I would keep my promise. Unfortunately, there never was a member of the Department of Defense or the Congress there to take a similar oath that they would keep their promise.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Biloxi
    fsears@bellsouth.net
    Web site: mrgrg-ms.org

    (57). Military retirees owe salute to Whittington and Shows 10 Jan 2006


    On 31 December 2005 the Class Act Group of Ft. Walton Beach, FL, closed its doors. The CAG is that group of military retiree volunteers, headed by Colonel George E. Day (Medal of Honor recipient), that fought for the medical care that had been promised to military retirees of the WWII, Korean conflict, and Viet Nam era.

    This fight went on for more than a decade, and, while we did not regain what had been promised we were able to gain Tricare for Life, which is a Medicare supplement for Medicare-eligible military retirees and their dependents.

    On Dec 12, 1998, in the early days of this fight, we had a strategy meeting in Ft Walton Beach, FL. It was at this meeting that I met and started a working relationship with Jim Whittington. Jim volunteered to host the next meeting in his hometown of Laurel, and on March 27, 1999, he did. See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history2.html.

    The meeting in Laurel accounted for one of the most important events of the entire 10-year period. It was at this meeting that Congressman Ronnie Shows, at the urging of Whittington, agreed to introduce a bill in the House, which became known as the Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act, that played a huge role in the process of getting Tricare for Life. See http://mrgrg-ms.org/laurel-summit.html and http://mrgrg-ms.org/laurel-m.html

    So the next time you use TFL, as a military retiree, a military-retiree dependent, a Doctor, a pharmacist, or anyone else that benefits from this program, please remember the name Jim Whittington. Without his tenacity and hard work we probably would not have Tricare for Life.

    I hope you will take a look at the referenced web pages and remember that anything that is worth having has to be fought for.

    Those of us that have led this fight for the last 10 years need your help. We are all getting to old to carry on.

    Floyd Sears
    Biloxi
    fsears@bellsouth.net


    (58). Military will sorely miss 'Sonny' Montgomery - 14 May 2006


    I am saddened by the passing of the former Congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery. His retirement from the Congress and his death have left a huge gap that is not likely to be filled in the near future. The military retiree and military veterans community needs one more good man or woman like him, at this time.

    In my opinion, the last few years and perhaps the next few years will go down in congressional history as the darkest days on record for military retirees and military veterans.

    It is my belief that the following words from the conclusion of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit will be visited again and again by the world's legal scholars after most of us are dead and gone:

    "We cannot readily imagine more sympathetic plaintiffs than the retired officers of the World War II and Korean War era involved in this case. They served their country for at least 20 years with the understanding that when they retired they and their dependents would receive full free health care for life. The promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon. Again, however, because no authority existed to make such promises in the first place, and because Congress has never ratified or acquiesced to this promise, we have no alternative but to uphold the judgment against the retirees' breach-of-contract claim... . Perhaps Congress will consider using its legal power to address the moral claims raised by Schism and Reinlie on their own behalf, and indirectly for other affected retirees."

    How one can look at those words and not see that military retirees are being swindled out of the medical care that was promised in exchange for service to their country is beyond me. We would have served even if the promise had not been made, but the fact is the promise was made. The court acknowledges that the promise was made. We didn't say, "If you will give us medical care for life we will serve," the military hierarchy made the offer and we accepted.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Biloxi
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (59). The facts and the courts agree: This is wrong - 21 Oct 2006

               

    Before our next election, Congress should talk about the Internet briefing that can be found at http:// mrgrg-ms.org/ swindle00.html.

    This series of narrated Web pages is designed to educate the Congress, the news media, and the American people about the greatest swindle of all time… a broken contract with America's military retirees.

    This briefing, also available as a PowerPoint, can be downloaded from http://mrgrg-ms.org/swindle.ppt

    Can you imagine, in the United States of America, that one court's conclusion that says: “The retirees entered active duty in the armed forces and completed at least 20 years service on the good faith belief that the government would fulfill its promises. The terms of the contract were set when the retirees entered the service and fulfilled their obligation. The government cannot unilaterally amend the contract terms now."

    . . . and, a second court's conclusion that begins: "We cannot readily imagine more sympathetic plaintiffs than the retired officers of the World War II and Korean War era involved in this case. They served their country for at least 20 years with the understanding that when they retired they and their dependents would receive full free health care for life.

    The promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon," . . . would end like this: "Again, however, because no authority existed to make such promises in the first place, and because Congress has never ratified or acquiesced to this promise, we have no alternative but to uphold the judgment against the retirees' breach-of-contract claim."

    We are living in a nation that will not keep its promises to military retirees who spent the most productive years of their lives defending the United States of America.

    FLOYD SEARS

    Biloxi

    (60). Thoughtful comments on treatment of our military - 27 March 2007

    In reference to two letters that appeared in the Sun Herald on March 22, "Adequate conditions for our brave soldiers are 'inhumane' for criminals?" by Ruffin W. Gray, and "An enlightening preview of universal health care" by Robert Blaze:

    I'm quite sure that every member of the Military Retiree Grass Roots Group has experienced tent living and primitive medical care during their 20 to 30 years of military service. We've been there and done that with an expectation of better things to come after retirement.

    The government made us a medical-care promise, but reneged on that promise, and the court, in lockstep, said this: "The promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon. Again, however, because no authority existed to make such promises in the first place, and because Congress has never ratified or acquiesced to this promise, we have no alternative but to uphold the judgment against the retirees' breach-of-contract claim."
    See http://mrgrg-ms.org/f99-1402.html#conclusion

    FLOYD SEARS
    Biloxi

    (61). The greatest generation suffered the greatest swindle - 23 July 2007

    "They served their country for at least 20 years with the understanding that when they retired they and their dependents would receive full free health care for life. The promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon. Again, however, because no authority existed to make such promises in the first place, and because Congress has never ratified or acquiesced to this promise, we have no alternative but to uphold the judgment against the retirees' breach-of-contract claim." - United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, case number 99-1402, Nov. 18, 2002. Of the 13 judges sitting en banc, nine found for the government and four found for the military retirees.

    This is part of a court's conclusion rendered in a lawsuit bought by military retirees against the government for breach of contract. However, it is also a good description of a swindle. The military hierarchy authorized the making of this medical care promise starting back in World War II, but according to this 2002 court decision they were not authorized to make the promise. So, all is forgotten, all is forgiven, we just write it off, and the military retirees who depended on that promise for medical care get swindled.

    What if you made payments on a house for 20 years under what you thought was a contract only to discover that the contract wasn't authorized and the house isn't yours? Would you fight for what you think is yours, or would you just roll over and play dead?

    Is there a set of rules in place today that protects the men and women who are fighting today's wars from being swindled out of what they are being promised, just like the greatest generation of military retirees are being swindled?

    In a few short years it will not matter because all of the military retirees who are affected by this swindle will be dead and the swindle story will die with them.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Biloxi
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (62). Act now to stop cuts in Medicare payments - 6 Jan 2008

    In the past you have seen my many letters to the editor concerning the broken promise of health care for military retirees, the greatest swindle of all time. Unless you were a military retiree, you were not overly concerned about what I had to say because it was no skin off your back.

    Now I'm writing about an issue which is very important to military retirees and to you if you are on Medicare, paying for Medicare Part B, and a Medicare supplement.

    There is currently a law on the books that calls for cuts in payments to doctors that see you under Medicare Part B. This is a stupid law because you cannot expect doctors to continue to see you if their payments are being cut down while their expenses are going up.

    If you are on Medicare, you already know that if Medicare Part B does not pay first, then your Medicare supplement (including TriCare for Life) does not pay. You should also know that in order to stay on Medicare you must continue to pay for Medicare Part B, even if you cannot find a doctor who will see you after the cuts in payments.

    Cuts to Medicare payments have been debated for the last several years, and each year Congress has taken action at the eleventh hour to delay the cuts for another year. The past year was a little different. As it now stands, the cut to Medicare payments has been delayed for only six months.

    Wake up, folks, and get involved! If you don't believe what I'm telling you, then contact your representatives in Washington and check it out. Then, get educated on this issue of vital importance to every senior citizen. Also ask your representatives to pass a law that will stop these stupid cuts to Medicare payments permanently.

    FLOYD SEARS
    Biloxi, MS
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    (63). Ronnie Shows met the challenge; now it's our turn - 13 Feb 2008

    If you are a Medicare-eligible military retiree, Medicare-eligible spouse, or a Medicare provider that accepts Tricare for Life and you don't know who started the process that led to Tricare for Life, then I can tell you in two words - Ronnie Shows.

    The Tricare for Life process started at a military retiree summit meeting on March 27, 1999, in Laurel, where Jim Whittington challenged U.S. Reps. Ronnie Shows and Chip Pickering to introduce a bill that would restore the medical care that military retirees had been promised. Congressman Shows responded by introducing HR2966 (the Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act) which became S2003 in the Senate, which was debated on June 7, 2000, and which resulted in Tricare for Life.

    From March 27, 1999, to June 7, 2000, military retirees rallied around Congressman Ronnie Shows because he was leading the fight to get something that military retirees wanted and needed.

    Now Ronnie Shows is running for the Senate seat vacated by Sen. Trent Lott and he needs your help. Will you rally around Ronnie Shows one more time with your votes and support?

    See http://mrgrg-ms.org/shows.html

    FLOYD SEARS
    Biloxi
    fsears@bellsouth.net

     

    (64). Medicare payment cut is a fatal mistake - 18 june 2008

    Sun Herald, Biloxi, MS, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

    Re:  http://www.sunherald.com/letters/story/632421.html

    Medicare payment cut is a fatal mistake

    This is a message I've been sending to the Congress concerning the consequences of cuts to Medicare payments.

    I will not claim to understand the "sustainable growth rate" formula that drives the cuts in Medicare payment to doctors, but I do understand the consequences of what will happen just a few days from now if that formula causes Medicare payments to doctors to be cut (beginning July 1) by more than 10 percent. If the income of a doctor, like any other business, is less than his expenses then he will have to go out of business or go bankrupt. If the July 1 cuts materialize this is what will happen to me and millions like me:

    We will not be able to find a doctor who will accept us under Medicare.

    If Medicare does not pay first then our Medicare supplement (including TriCare for Life) will not pay.

    Medicare is the only health care insurance available to me, and millions like me.

    If we lose Medicare, because of the low payments, we will not be able to get other medical insurance because of our age and pre-existing conditions. Even if we could find other medical insurance we would not be able to afford it.

    And here is the Catch 22: Hoping that Congress will find a fix to the Medicare-payment problem, we will probably continue to pay for Medicare Part B and our Medicare supplement even though we will have trouble finding a doctor who will accept what Medicare pays.

    These cuts in Medicare payments are especially distasteful to military retirees, since we have already been swindled out of the medical care we were promised for serving 20 or more years in the military. See www.mrgrg-ms.org <http://www.mrgrg-ms.org> .

    Please, vote yes on Senate Bill 3101 and stop the cuts to Medicare payments. Our lives literally depend on it.

    FLOYD SEARS
    D'Iberville
    fsears@bellsouth.net

    Other letters will be posted here as they are published.

    The web page name - "The Retired Military Advocate" - copyrighted 17 Sept. 1997
    e-mail: fsears@bellsouth.net
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