VFW Action Corps Weekly
Major Richard Star Act One Signature Away from Key Breakthrough: The push to pass the Major Richard Star Act has reached a critical moment. Discharge Petition No. 22 now has 217 signatures, which is just one short of the 218 needed to help clear a path for the House to consider H.R. 2102 as a standalone bill. The VFW urges advocates to contact their representatives and ask them to take the next step needed to advance this important legislation. Depending on their representative’s current position, advocates are asked to thank them for signing the petition and urge continued support for passage, ask cosponsors to sign the petition, or ask those who have taken neither action to cosponsor H.R. 2102 and sign the petition. Thousands of combat-injured veterans have waited long enough for Congress to end the unfair offset that prevents them from receiving both the military retirement pay and VA disability compensation they earned. One more signature gets the petition to 218. Take action.
VFW Leaders Honor 9/11 Victims at Pentagon Memorial: VFW National Commander Cory Geisler and VFW Washington Office Executive Director Ryan Gallucci laid a wreath at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives, including the 184 people killed at the Pentagon. Geisler and Gallucci paid tribute to the service members, civilians and first responders whose lives were lost on Sept. 11, 2001, and recognized those who went on to serve in the aftermath of the attacks. “As the Veterans of Foreign Wars, we always need to remember those personnel and the sacrifices made,” said Geisler. “This is not just another day. This is a day of remembrance for all of us.”
VFW Remembers 9/11: On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, and in observance of Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance, the VFW and its Auxiliary reflected on the nearly 3,000 innocent lives lost, the first responders who acted with selflessness and bravery to bring people to safety and the millions of Americans who answered the call to serve in the Post-9/11 generation. Read the press release.
MIA Update: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced no identifications or burial updates this week.