Just heard on TV news tonight that the Army had decided to cut retirement to the few remaining Alaska Native men who served as unpaid scouts guarding coastal Alaska during WW2. A couple days ago I read how there are desperate fuel and food shortages in some of our western Alaska villages. Some places fuel is being flown in at a cost of $9 to $11 bucks a gallon. A few old folks are squeaking by on that $300 or so retirement check. Quite a few folks report skipping meals to feed the kids and to buy fuel.
I post this here as there has been an awful lot of good support for our veterans. A lot of younger men from western Alaska have done a few terms in Iraq, Kuwait, and maybe Afganistan. Will they too be cut off later?
I think this action stinks and I hope the good vets here will speak up for the old Scouts. There can't be a lot left, and many desperately need that retirement check.
Also time for our new senator to show some stuff here. I don't think the Army would have dared to do this when Stevens was in office.
Obama made a big deal on a Montana reservation about caring for Native Americans. Now is a chance for him to show he meant it.
