| MND COMMENTARY |
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February 18, 2003 by Thomas D. Segel
This time there were no military bands and no reviewing stands. The formation was not as precise. The steps were not as precision. But, the American Flag was still in its prominent place at the front of the formation. A white bearded Navy Chief, in full uniform and walking with a cane carried it. Behind the flag were rank upon rank of World War II and Korean War retired military veterans. Some marched unaided, while others pulled oxygen tanks, were pushed in their wheel chairs or bounced along the paving on powered scooters. There were even more canes and walkers. But, they all marched. The military retirees flew to Washington D.C. from as far away as Korea. For that February 12 rally to protest the loss of their promised medical care. Some came by car, others by bus. Whatever transpiration they could obtain brought these hundreds of senior warriors to the nation's capital. The march formed at Union Station and proceeded all the way to the steps of the United States Supreme Court, where they stood a vigil for more than one hour. All of this was done with the hope the senior court in our land will hear and act favorably on their rejected plea for the government to restore promised lifetime earned health care. The retired servicemen and their families were promised this care as one of the benefits for twenty or more years of service protecting the citizens of America. So, where was the national media? Why... they had more important things to do. This was the same day duct tape became the news event celeb. It was duct tape, all day, on all media, across the United States. While these veterans who dedicated their lives to this county hobbled up to the steps of the Supreme Court in protest... our major newspapers and television news teams visited Home Depot and the hardware sections of discount stores to bring America the important story of the day. Instead of the news cameras pointing at a white hearse with the words "Government's Answer To Military Retiree Health Care" boldly printed on both sides... newsmen rushed to video tape people loading plastic sheeting into their shopping carts. It should be very important for America to know that the bravest and best of its citizens are being refused treatment in their old age, by the same government they defended during their most productive years. It should be important for America to know that agents of our government, from military recruiters to officials of the Department of Defense, made promises that our legal system says do not carry the weight of law. It should be important for America to know more than 1,000 retired service personal who served during World War II and Korea are dying each day, while not receiving the medical attention they were promised. As the hearse in that parade of Grey Lions depicted, the government answer to promised health care for all who faithfully served their country, is to wait until every one of them has taken that final ride to their appointed reward. Then our government might take action. America should know all these things and the media should be reporting it to them in loud angry voices. Instead... we are given all the important details about a pending shortage of that important item... duct tape. Thomas D. Segel is a twice wounded, former combat correspondent who saw enemy action during the Korean War and two tours of duty in Vietnam. He retired from the Marine Corps as a Master Gunnery Sergeant after 26 years of service. His next assignment was as Director of Information and adjunct faculty member of the Marine Military Academy. He then completed a new career and recently retired from service with the State of Texas, where he was Director, Division of Information, Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Rio Grande State Center. He holds the Thomas Jefferson Award for Journalistic Excellence, The Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association Distinguished Performance Award and six Armed Forces Writers Association Distinguished Achievement Awards. Segel has authored four books, including "Men in Space" which received the honor of being placed on both the National High School and National Junior High School Library Lists. He currently writes for several on line publications, national magazines and newspapers. His writings are distributed nationally to more than 1,300 publications by the Paragon Foundation News Service. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas Pan American and earned his masters degree at Vanderbilt University. He is a past national president of the United States Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association. Segel resides with his wife, Pattie, in Harlingen, Texas. Visit his home page here |
Harlingen,
TX - They marched that cold day in February. They marched as they
had countless times before, in different times and in different places.|
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