Cold War vets deserve recognition
The 25th anniversary of the official end of the Cold War is coming up in a short three months, and still we Cold War veterans are given the "cold shoulder" for long overdue recognition.
In the past I've tried to bring the idea of conflict license plates for our time, (all the other conflicts have one) and our "war" is our longest running conflict to date. (Sept. 2, 1945 - Dec. 26, 1991) This idea I felt would help bring much needed revenue to our cash-strapped state.
There were 382 combat casualties and 162 MIA during the Cold War. When I was in the service, the country wasn't as patriotic as today.
So as someone wiser than I has put it. We of the Cold War era got: No memorials, to date; no medals, trying for C. W. V; no admittance to veteran organizations; no acknowledgment.
On the final one, there are no communities that I know of that recognize the Cold War at any of their veteran's memorials. Shame on all of them.
David Kumpula
Hoffman Estates