I've been thinking about strategy, some marching orders from the C.O. that might provide our veterans organization with some strength in numbers direction.  Thinking if we act in concert on a list of action items in some defined time periods we might garner some more support toward advancing a C.W. medal.

Just some food for thought below, to get something down in writing, maybe generate some comment/plan/ideas....

1.  Let's say any legislative opportunities that arise, a red alert is posted on this site that members can quickly take action on.

2.  Sept-Dec, On-line fund raising campaign for the explicit purpose of raising some target amount of money to advertise ACWV organization (with membership eligibility/application...goals, including C.W. veteran recognition) in two target rich (like Norfolk?) newspapers for just maybe two weekends.  Limited to make it affordable.

3.  Aug-Sept,  Calling all AVWV members to write letters directly to all Armed Services Committee members requesting inclusion of C.W. medal provision in 2010 NDAA, or 2011 if its too late.

4.  October,  Contacting each member's senators, representative, and President  to press for C.W. medal action.

5.  November,  Calling all ACWV members to write AMVETS, VFW, Legion, other VSOs National Commanders, Executive Directors asking them to petition congress to change charters as necessary to allow C.W. veteran membership and to ask their own members to support their own medal resolutions by flooding congress with letters/petitions of support.

6.  December, ACWV Action Item...Media Month, Members and public at large urged to contact media persons and organizations asking them to consider Cold War pieces devoted to Cold War and veterans issues, also hometown newspaper letters to editor.

7.  January, ACWV Action Item....Education Month, Members urged to contact local schools, universities requesting them to consider teaching block devoted to Cold War.  Invite a local Cold War veteran to talk to students.

8.  On-going.....establish some on-site War casualty database that members could input.  Maybe 5 specific and structured fields....a.) Date of Incident. b.) Name/Rank of casualty. c.) type of Casualty, KIA, MIA, Captured. d.) Synopsis of incident, just a couple of sentences. d.) Source of information.

Just rambling here with some thoughts I know aren't new, but thinking of ways to spur interest, movement.

bELKNAP