I am writing because of my concerns that only very few of those running for office seem to make a statement of their position on Eroding Benefits for our Veterans and the Unjust law (USFSPA) which is the main reasons we are having problems getting and keeping members in our present day Armed forces. Present day troops are aware and believe me are watching the way this governmemt is treating the Veterans now. When looking through the list of supporters for H.R. 72 I do not see your name as one of them. The purpose of this correspondence is to see just where you stand on H.R. 72. and restoring Veterans Benefits that have been taken away from those of us who have earned them and paid dearly defending this country, giving the best years of our life and now being betrayed by our own government. We did not hesitate when the government called upon us and made the promises if we stayed we would have medical for ourselves and family along with and a retirement the rest of our lives. We were willing to make the supreme sacrafice if the need arose, doing it willingly to defend the great nation of ours, not only for ourselves but for future gererations to come, All the time knowing this great government of ours would take care of us in our later years......What has happened!!!!!! Myself and thousands of others like me have VOWED NOT TO VOTE FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL who does not support our cause. This law (USFSPA) has got to be corrected. Our Veterans Benefits must be restored as promised to us... For the benefit of not only those like myself and others affected but for Veterans in the future. There is nothing right about this.... It is all wrong.... I truly believe our countrys future is at stake by the way Veterans are being treated. The troops today are educated and are becoming aware of the way veterans and retirees are being treated by our government. I would like you to read my story below, and I ask how anyone could believe there is any fairness in this law. Feel free to use the information in my letter in any way that will help our cause. I also you invite you to look at my website http://www.geocities.com/mmcmret_1980 which relates to this same subject. At the bottom of this correspondence I have added URL's to some more of the hundreds of sites that pertain to this subject. I am hoping to see your support for change is this unfair law and pledging to restore our Veterans Benefits we were promised. I am awaiting your reply prior to Election time. Thank you, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~, MMCM, USN, Ret. I served in the U.S. Navy from Aug. 1959 through July 1980, Retiring as a E-9. In 1987 my wife of 25 years decided she wanted a divorce, at this time we had 4 children, 2 of which were adults and a 14 and 9 year old daughter still at home. My wife's reason was that she wanted to be with my half brother, (whom she had an affair with some 18 years earlier) while I was in (Vietnam). I fought in the courts to give our daughters the right to choose which parent they wanted to live with. (They chose to live with me). However I was advised that there was nothing I could do but to give her the 50% of my retainer. For 6 months while waiting for the divorce to become final she was living out of the area with my brother, (Who by the way did not make it through Navy boot camp). I had custody of the minor children and still paid her an additional $700 a month in child support. I refinanced our home and paid her 1/2 fair market value in a lump sum settlement. I paid off all the outstanding debts, Then raised our daughters as a single parent, While she married my brother. They bought 2 new cars and a Mobile home immediately while I was driving a 21 year old vehicle as did not qualify for a loan to purchase anything newer at that time. I have an accumulative time of 56 months in combat zone during the Vietnam affair. Have made 11 full term West Pac Deployments (6 to 9 MOS. in duration in my day) Plus numerous shorter cruises overseas. For some reason I do not remember her being on any of them, I don't remember her sharing in any of the dangers or hardship. She never had to work during our 25 years of marriage. She was a housewife taking care of our children, Always had a place to live, a vehicle to drive and money for the needs of the family. At one time while on shore duty I worked a second job nights at a filling station to support my family. I made certain that she kept her Beauticians License current in the event she had to fall back on her profession just in case anything should ever happen to me. To date I am still paying, over 13 years later and she is still married to my brother. I feel this to be the most unjust event in my entire life. Unbelievable that this could happen but thanks to USFSPA it has to me and thousands more just like me. It is still happening and will continue unless something is changed. This un justice must be corrected to prevent this from happening to others in the future. !!!! JUST SOME OF THE SITES RELATING TO THE ABOVE !!!! http://www.firebase.net/ http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/BoomerSt/rarturo/ http://VeteransForum.com/ http://www.freeyellow.com/members8/swabbie/index.html http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/CapitolDr/armedturkey http://members.aol.com/vetschoice/ag2000.htm http://www.goiv.com/ao/index.html http://www.josephjones.net/ http://www.lawtonok.net/vva/vvagent.htm http://sites.netscape.net/johnwesleyadcs/homepage http://seastock.com/vet.html http://www.logicalpsycho.com/ http://valuebytes.com/service.html http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/7302/army.html http://www.oasysnet.com/~nospam/Seppo_Navy.html www.expage.com/page/kansasveteransforveterans. http://www.geocities.com/mmcmret_1980/ http://members.tripod.com/d-vanluven/ http://members.tripod.com/vietna467/index.htm http://www.vetsdefense.com/ http://www.girights.org/ http://www.angelfire.com/biz3/TRACKER173/index.html http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Base/2658/ http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/CapitolDr/armedturkey/ http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/html/ym/aboutym.htm http://hometown.aol.com/tverpa/myhomepage/index.html http://www.mcc.org/ask-a-vet/index.html http://www.nisbco.org/child/wccs_home.htm http://www.quaker.org/quaker-house.html http://www.nfx.net/~nqh1/nqh.htm http://home.pacbell.net/as901/ http://mh106.infi.net/~wileyh http://members.tripod.com/MHCRG/index.htm http://members.tripod.com/adm/popup/roadmap.shtml?943570337630 http://www.suicidewall.com/vets/ http://www.bws-enterprises.com/milhealth/retirees.htm http://www.5tharmy.army.mil http://www.all-natural.com/riley.html http://www.gulfwarvets.com/ http://www.gulfwarvets.com/letter.htm http://www.gulfwarvets.com/nicolson2.htm http://www.retired-military.org http://www.retired-military.org/SlideBrief/sld001.htm http://hometown.aol.com/usfspahater/myhomepage/index.html http://www.odssa.com/default1.htmhttp://www.mikenew.com/battalion.html http://community.webtv.net/AlyssaisRad/THEEFFECTSOFTHE http://members.xoom.com/Del_W/default.htm http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Barracks/5434/page1.html http://members.xoom.com/Del_W/veterans.htm http://www.soft-vision.com/ao_vets/nh http://gemini.tntech.edu/~amh3976/ http://members.home.net/skays/wise/ www.angelfire.com/ga/skydiver2 http://www.grapevine.net/~cnc/ http://www.ktc.net/hcvc/ http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/2704/ http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/CWSIV/military.htm http://fathers.ourfamily.com/onepage.htm http://www.nomil.com http://community-1.webtv.net/IVY44DDD/UniformServices/index.html http://members.tripod.com/~Ontimer/index-22.html http://www.homestead.com/firebasecolorado/VampireSlayer.html http://retiredmilitary.usa20.com/ http://hometown.aol.com/jmiller03/personal/index.htm http://www.homestead.com/allvets/files/gopicket.htm http://community-1.webtv.net/IVY44DDD/UniformServices/ http://members.aol.com/bkteed/index.html http://www.homestead.com/casualtiesoftricare http://organizations.nlamerica.com/haveinc/ http://community-1.webtv.net/REMOVER-65-PAC/ATTNACTIVEMILITARY/ http://community-1.webtv.net/billyyoung/HomePage/ http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/lig/f/s/fsears/resol.htm http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/lig/f/s/fsears/pick.htm#TagMenu_R http://hometown.aol.com/vietna467/politics2/index.htm http://www.usdr.org/ http://members.tripod.com/~ellis_smith/insurance.html http://millennium.fortunecity.com/streetsharks/471/jere001.html http://ms.2000.com/iva http://www.militarybetrayed.com/ http://www.expage.com/page/VETS4EVER http://www.navyretired.com/ http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/3853/campaign.htm http://www.expage.com/page/VETS4EVER http://home.gvi.net/~rebel/ http://maxpages.com/vote.cgi http://www.seacoast.com/~gordont http://hometown.aol.com/soarngduv/Dave.htm http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ridge/1815/ http://members.xoom.com/USFSPA http://www.tlxnet.net/~boswell/where_u.html http://members.xoom.com/ibdtrkr/index.html http://users.northlink.net/jimdev/default.html http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atlantis/2070/index.html http://members.aol.com/Cushing56/ http://members.aol.com/Cushing12/MilitaryDivorce/ http://members.tripod.com/twinpop2/ http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/bunker/3853 http://come.to/champus http://www.apci.net/~jose1038/military.html http://ro.com/nalnaus/index.shtml http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/5050/ http://members.xoom.com/bantricare/ http://www.veterans-advocate.org/ http://www.snowcrest.net/soza/MyPlan.htm http://www.classact-lawsuit.com/index.html http://www.orbiter.com/ramrod/INDEX.HTM http://expage.com/page/dawghouse http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/7589/darlington_main.html http://www.concentric.net/~ronsm/ http://www.balista.com/bobs/ http://members.aol.com/carlkr/page1.htm http://home.earthlink.net/~jody1/ http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/3187/ http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/EXTORT/index.html http://members.tripod.com/~GillettD/index-2.html http://www.lcc.whecn.edu/home/cthrasher/ http://members.aol.com/JHartranf/homepage/index.html http://www.vabenefits.com/ http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Jungle/5509/ http://members.aol.com/starzac/appeal.htm http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/military_veterans http://www.enlisted.com/ http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/1053/ http://www.gslink.com/%7Earison/gws.html http://www.usaor.net/users/tmkc/ http://web.mountain.net/~okernick/veterans.htm http://expage.com/page/scdv100/ http://vets.com/ http://www.hadit.com/ http://www.soft-vision.com/ao_vets/ http://www.lakeozarks.net/~tedguy/tedguy.htm http://www.ojc.org/ http://www.zoneeleven.net http://www.users.ohiolinks.com/~rond/veterans.html http://hometown.aol.com/jmiller03/personal/index.htm http://www.n-link.com/~kirt/ http://www.retired-usairforce.com/ http://members.aol.com/billpo13/politics/index.htm http://photo2.si.edu/offerings/offerings.html http://hometown.aol.com/vet66a/page/index.htm http://www.aiipowmia.com/ http://hometown.aol.com/soarngduv/Dave.htm http://members.aol.com/dstormmom/vetcenter/ http://www.nashville.net/%7Ebobbyros/ http://www.vvof.org/ http://www.vietnamwallsouth.qpg.com/ http://www.normandy.eb.com/ http://www.patiencepress.com/ http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/5975//geobook.html http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/3891/ http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/~fsears http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/lig/f/s/fsears/doc11.htm http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/lig/f/s/fsears/meet.htm http://www.veteransrightsnow.org http://www.tlxnet.net/~boswell/where_u.html http://www.devvy.com/military.html http://members.aol.com/Cushing56/ http://members.aol.com/Cushing12/MilitaryDivorce/ http://www.fwb.gulf.net/~skays/wise http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/9046/ http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/7545/ http://maxpages.com/allvetscmdr/ http://expage.com/page/medicalhomeproject http://www.neta.com/~1stbooks/v1.htm http://www.comsource.net/~close/Keng.html http://www.soft-vision.com/hanoi/ http://www.fwb.gulf.net/~skays/wise http://members.aol.com/jimro711/page3/index.htm http://hometown.aol.com/danusdr/page2/index.htm http://neptune.guestworld.lycos.com/wgb/wgbsign.dbm?owner=DutyLogs http://disc.server.com/Indices/52515.html http://www.soft-vision.com/hanoi/index1.html http://whitetail.nji.com/~gfallon http://www.soft-vision.com/ao_vets http://www.kachina.net/~bphata/Home.htm http://www.soft-vision.com/josiah/ojc/ http://www.soft-vision.com/ao_vets/nh/ http://www.usaor.net/users/tmkc/ http://www.illyria.com/cgi-bin/dusty.cgi http://www.vvoa.com/ http://www.dragonclan.net/mia.html http://members.aol.com/ODevlin/response.html http://personalpages.tds.net/~kknowlto/ http://www.nvo.org/ http://members.aol.com/vietna467/politics/index.htm http://members.xoom.com/sarge1100 http://members.tripod.com/~Retshc/index.htm http://www.wiredweb.com/~treefrog/ http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Styx/1992/update/hotlinks.html http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/6850/ election http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/3528/ http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ridge/1815/ http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/2527/frame3.html http://users.aol.com/rhp36/pages/forgot.html http://www.angelfire.com/va/VeteransResources/may1999.html http://www.homestead.com/allvets/files/life.htm http://hometown.aol.com/vietna467/politics/index.htm http://www.angelfire.com/va/VeteransResources/index.html http://www.geocities.com/~ladyjen/flag_campaign.html http://www.constitutionalguardian.com/ http://missoula.bigsky.net/dsf/home.html http://www.onr.com/user/rav/ravhome.htm http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/2704/ http://members.aol.com/CVernon6/index.htm http://216.92.7.180/2000.htm http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/6963/ http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/ttdancy.htm http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/lig/f/s/fsears/doc04.htm http://www.harristech.com/hideout.htm http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/6482/marlin.html http://usmilitary.about.com/ http://www.hackworth.com/ http://www.usaor.net/users/tmkc/ http://ro.com/nalnaus/ http://www.spiderweb.com.au/~frasbett/powmia.html http://www.chinaearth.com/socializedlaw.html