Meeting a Hero

Keith got to meet a Hero today. Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura a Korean War Medal of Honor Recipient is selling personalized framed photos with replicas of his Medal of Honor as a fund raiser for a scholarship program.  Lasting Gifts from a Hero is the title of the full story and can be found at the Gallup Journey website.

Keith's father and brother are associated with a VFW post in MA and their post donated money for this scholarship program. Keith also added some personal touches to one of the framed photo displays.  Here are some photos of Keith's photo display and his meeting with Mr. Miyamura.

Memorial Day

Today as Memorial Day has progressed, I've been reminded of family and friends who have fought in various wars over the years.  We started doing some geneology research over the years and found out that my Grandpa Wilson had an ancestor who played role in the Revolutionary War. Then later on we discovered that my Grandma (Boyd) Larson had at least 4 relatives who all served in the Civil War not long after having immigrated to the United States from Norway.  

Grandma Larson later married Thomas Clarence Larson who served in World War I. Grandpa Larson never saw action in the war. He served his duty at a training station here in the States.

My Grandpa Wilson served overseas in World War II and in some very dangerous situations we later discovered.

So today in honor of my two Grandpa's I'd like to thank all of you who have served our country and remember those who never returned. I'd also like to take a moment to reflect back and think about the other casualties of war. We should take a moment to remember the horses and dogs who have been lost during war.  There is a fitting memorial to the lost horses located at the U.S Cavalry Museum in Ft. Riley, KS, but I'm not sure I've ever seen a memorial to the military working dogs.

To all my fellow Veterans, thank you.

Anyone care to answer this one?

Does anyone know why funding an ARMY is necessary in the Health care bill? Additionally The Public Health Services act had formerly already established a Corps, but this amendment not only changes their mission, but also increases funding for recruitment and training.  It's bad enough that we are being FORCED to buy health care based on the sole fact that we are alive and living in the USA, and it's worse that it will be enforced by the IRS with an additional 1500 or so new Agents needed to keep track of everyone who doesn't get their own health care. And it's bad that if you fail to get health insurance you could be put in jail. ( shoot that might be the best option of all refuse to get health care and go to jail. Because in jail you get 3 squares a day and you get your health care for free.)  But why exactly do we need the Health care Army also?

H.R.3590- Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

SEC. 5210. ESTABLISHING A READY RESERVE CORPS.
Section 203 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 204) is amended to read as follows:
SEC. 203. COMMISSIONED CORPS AND READY RESERVE CORPS.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT–
(1) IN GENERAL.–here shall be in the Service a commissioned Regular Corps and a Ready Reserve Corps for service in time of national emergency.
(2) REQUIREMENT.–All commissioned officers shall be citizens of the United States and shall be appointed without regard to the civil-service laws and compensated without regard to the Classification Act 2 of 1923, as amended.
(3) APPOINTMENT.–Commissioned officers of the Ready Reserve Corps shall be appointed by the President and commissioned officers of the Regular Corps shall be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.
(4) ACTIVE DUTY.–Commissioned officers of the Ready Reserve Corps shall at all times be subject to call to active duty by the Surgeon General, including active duty for the purpose of training.
(5) WARRANT OFFICERS.–Warrant officers may be appointed to the Service for the purpose of providing support to the health and delivery systems maintained by the Service and any warrant officer appointed to the Service shall be considered for purposes of this Act and title 37, United States Code, to be a commissioned officer within the Commissioned Corps of the Service.
(b) ASSIMILATING RESERVE CORP OFFICERS INTO THE REGULAR CORPS.—Effective on the date of enactment of the Affordable Health Choices Act, all individuals classified as officers in the Reserve Corps under this section (as such section existed on the day before the date of enactment of such Act) and serving on active duty shall be deemed to be commissioned officers of the Regular Corps

c) PURPOSE AND USE OF READY RESERVE.–

(1) PURPOSE.–The purpose of the Ready Reserve Corps is to fulfill the need to have additional Commissioned Corps personnel available on short notice (similar to the uniformed service’s reserve program) to assist regular Commissioned Corps personnel to meet both routine public health and emergency response missions.

(2) USES.–The Ready Reserve Corps shall–

(A) participate in routine training to meet the general and specific needs of the Commissioned Corps;

(B) be available and ready for involuntary calls to active duty during national emergencies and public health crises, similar to the uniformed service reserve personnel;

(C) be available for backfilling critical positions left vacant during deployment of active duty Commissioned Corps members, as well as for deployment to respond to public health emergencies, both foreign and domestic; and

(D) be available for service assignment in isolated, hardship, and medically underserved communities (as defined in section 399SS) to improve access to health services.

(d) FUNDING.—For the purpose of carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Commissioned Corps under this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to the Office of the Surgeon General for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014. Funds appropriated under this subsection shall be used for recruitment and training of Commissioned Corps Officers.