EDITORIAL: Recognize our veterans (02/13/00)

EDITORIAL

Recognize our veterans

Back in November, Rep. David E. Bonior (D-Mich.), with several co-sponsors, introduced a bill to amend Title 36 of the United States Code and grant a federal charter to the Ukrainian American Veterans Inc. What the bill, designated as HR 3463, does is give national recognition to the Ukrainian American Veterans, whose members have played an active role in the armed forces of the United States, serving honorably in two world wars, Korea, Vietnam and more recently in the Persian Gulf.

The UAV's purposes include to: "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States"; "commemorate the wars, campaigns and military actions of the United States in order to reflect respect, honor and tribute for the dead and the surviving veterans"; "give individuals throughout the nation a greater understanding of and appreciation for the sacrifices of the people who participated in any military action on behalf of individuals throughout the United States"; and "foster the association of veterans of Ukrainian descent who have served in the armed forces of the United States."

Among members of the UAV, which has been active for 52 years, are such veterans as Capt. Steve Olek of Chicago, who spent two tours of duty in Vietnam in 1964-1965, flying more than 550 combat missions. His USAF training class assumed the name Flying Cossacks (Kozaks) and voted unanimously to wear the Ukrainian trident (tryzub) as their emblem; collectively the Flying Cossacks flew over 10,000 combat missions in Vietnam. And, there is Maj. Francis L. Holinaty of New Jersey, who spent a year in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm, earning the Bronze Star.

The UAV commemorative book "Ukrainian American Veterans 1948-1998" released on the occasion of the organization's 50th anniversary notes that Ukrainian American soldiers had diverse reasons for joining the U.S. armed forces. It quotes a letter sent from the Persian Gulf by Capt. Gerald Nestor of Spring Valley, N.Y., (published in The Weekly on March 24, 1991): "I'm proud of the army I serve in, it is the best in the world. I serve the United States because I believe that I owe it a debt of gratitude for the haven it provided my family after World War II."

For these men, and countless others like them, national recognition of the UAV would be appropriate acknowledgment of services rendered to their country. It would indicate to our proud Ukrainian American veterans that our country is proud of them.

Ukrainian American Veterans deserve to be recognized after all, at least three Ukrainian Americans have received the Congressional Medal of Honor, several were recipients of Purple Hearts and many paid the supreme sacrifice. Furthermore, the UAV deserves our entire community's support in this endeavor as it would become the first Ukrainian organization to have a federal charter, thus raising the profile of the community as a whole and giving it more clout in Washington and nationwide.

Belonging to a federally chartered veterans group would also allow UAV members to officially serve on various state veterans' boards in the name of Ukrainian veterans something they cannot presently do. As well, it would place the UAV on equal footing with other nationally recognized veterans' groups, enabling it to get information about veterans' programs that benefit its membership directly from federal agencies and officials. With such recognition, the UAV could assume its place alongside other nationally chartered groups such as those of Italians, Poles, Jews and Hispanics. (In fact, the Jewish War Veterans are on record as supporting the UAV's quest.)

The UAV has been seeking a federal charter for close to a quarter of a century, since the effort was set in motion in 1975 by National Commander Vasyl Luchkiw with the support of Rep. Benjamin Gilman of New York. This year the UAV believes it can achieve this goal as National Commander Steven Szewczuk has designated this as the No. 1 priority for the organization and the UAV has enlisted the assistance of the Washington-based Ukrainian National Information Service. Furthermore, the organization is now growing in strength, with old posts being revived and new ones being established in cities as diverse as Yonkers, N.Y., and Northport, Fla.

The UAV has begun lobbying members of the House of Representatives and soon will extend its campaign to the Senate. The Weekly is adding its voice to that of the veterans. We are requesting that the Ukrainian American community contact their members of Congress to seek their support of HR 3463. Our veterans deserve no less.

(For more information on the UAV, readers may contact National Commander Steven Szewczuk at: 137 N. Eighth St., Brooklyn, NY 11211-2803; (phone (718) 782-0802; e-mail, steveszewczuk@aol.com.)

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