Friday, May 13, 2005 | 9:14 a.m.
The Defense Department is again trying to belittle sacrifices made by military retirees during their years of service by falsely screaming, "The costs of earned medical benefits are affecting the funds of the active military establishment." All this, while the administration (rightly) is adding to the benefits of the current fighting forces.
Active-duty and retired personnel, and their families and friends, banded together and fought the department through the courts for many years over promises made to enlisted members of the military. Visions of medical coverage through retirement had as much impact upon continuous service as did the paycheck for life. Congress finally noted this ruckus and passed these Defense Department promises into law.
Now the department is again trying to evade this responsibility. History teaches that we will be fighting attempts to reduce the armed forces to near elimination when the current wars are over. Military retirees must again go to battle stations to protect their earned benefits.
RICHARD E. LAW Editor's note: The writer is retired from the U.S. Navy.
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