Back in 2001, during his inaugural speech, President Bush made the statement “Promises made ... will be promises kept” to our military warriors. On June 6, 2006, while on a surprise visit to Iraq the President again made a remarkably similar statement when he said to the new Prime Minister of Iraq, “I’ve come to not only look you in the eye. I’ve come to tell you that when America gives its word, it keeps its word ....”

I hope Iraq fares better than our military retirees with President Bush as he and his Republican administration have done everything possible to thwart the restoration of promised benefits to them.

Also, our active duty warriors of today, whom he also addressed [in] Iraq, should look carefully upon the record pertaining to those that served in prior conflicts. Two hundred and forty-six congressmen have cosigned HR602, Keep Our Promises to America’s Military Retirees Act of 2005.

This bill is well over a year old, yet the Republican leadership continues to keep this bill within the confines of four, count them, four committees rather than bring this bill to the floor.

Nationwide, military retirees have pledged to not vote for any incumbent in the next election. This pledge needs to be strongly endorsed in Georgia. Justification for this movement lies in the fact that our entire congressional contingency are but mere puppets to the current administration.

Representatives Barrow, Bishop, Gingrey, Lewis (believe it or not), Marshall, Norwood, Scott and Westmoreland all cosigned as sponsors of this legislation to restore those benefits, but steadfastly refuse to take action to insure that HR602 will be brought out of committee(s) and placed before the full House for a vote.

Senators Isakson and Chambliss also have taken no action to cosign the companion bill S407.

To not vote for any incumbent is drastic considering most of the alternatives; however, active support for them is no longer on our agenda, nor is financial support.

Don Rehwaldt
1955-1978 active duty USAF veteran
Tyrone, Ga.