LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD
"Let No Vet Be Forgotten"
Please help us by writing your elected officials and asking for their support in correcting an oversight by passing legislation and supporting the transition of the Clark Veterans Cemetery, Pampanga, Philippines from voluntary administration by the local VFW Post 2485 to its proper management and administration by an Agency of the U.S. Government.
FIRST:
Find your elected government representatives, you can locate their names and necessary contact information at:
- For your two elected Senators representing your State: www.senate.gov
(After finding your State's Senators you can review each web site for details of sending calling, visiting or sending emails or other forms of correspondence.
- For your elected Representative from your District:
www.house.gov
(After finding your Congressional Representative you can review their web site for details of sending calling, visiting or sending emails or other forms of correspondence.
SECOND:
Tips on writing members of Congress:
- Emails are far more effective today – and, also get to Congress immediately – due to postal security concerns
- State the purpose in the first sentence of any letter, email, or call
- Reference legislation – if it exist – as of today, the Clark Veterans Cemetery does not have any pending legislation - that is what we need
- Be respectful and polite in tone and style
- Include personal information, about why this matter to you or your family
- Address only the Clark Veterans Cemetery in the email, letter or call, do not convolute it with other issues or messages - stay focused on restoring the cemetery
- Help us with consistency, use "Restore Clark Veterans Cemetery" in the subject line or subject of your call, visit or correspondence.
THIRD:
Make sure you have the correct Salutation and Address:
| Address to a Senator | Address to A Representative: |
| The Honorable (Full Name) | The Honorable (Full Name) |
| United States Senate | United States House of Representative |
| Washington, DC 20515 | Washington, DC 20510 |
| Dear Senator (Last Name) | Dear Mr./Mrs/Ms. (Last Name) |
Note: In the cases of writing to a Chairman or Ranking member of a committee or sub-committee – use Dear Mr. Chairman or Madam Chairwoman or Ranking Member as appropriate.
FOURTH:
Example of a letter or email you can use to support the CVCRA agenda and purpose:
Subject: Help Restore Clark Veterans Cemetery
I am writing to you to request your personal support and to ask you to introduce legislation that will properly address the Clark Veterans Cemetery, located on the former U.S. Air Force Base, Clark Field, Republic of the Philippines. This cemetery is the resting place for over 2,250 U.S. Veterans from all services, including over 640 Philippine Scouts who served in the U.S. Army, their dependents and other unknowns. There are veterans who have served in every war and conflict from the Spanish American War onwards and is active today where three to four burials of U.S. veterans occur each and every month.
The Clark Veterans Cemetery was not addressed properly when the U.S. Government turned the former U.S. Air Force Base at Clark Field over to the Philippine Government in 1991. The cemetery fell through the cracks of the U.S. and Philippine government bureaucracy - leaving its administration and upkeep to a group of local veteran volunteers from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2485, and a U.S. small business working in the Philippines. This oversight by our government requires your immediate attention.
The Clark Veterans Cemetery fell into a state of grave neglect and disrepair after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 and the subsequent removal of U.S. forces from the Philippines. After several years of neglect, the local VFW Post took it upon themselves to restore the cemetery to some level of respect that these veterans so richly deserve. If it were not for the unsung heroes of VFW Post 2485 looking after their comrades, these veterans would long have been forgotten by our government. We must correct this wrong. It follows then from the warriors creed to "leave no one behind" that we also "let no vet be forgotten"!
At this point you can personalize your message with your own personal reason why this is important to you, for example: My relative is buried in this cemetery at Clark. He/she fought in ___ or during____. Or: I have seen the Clark Veterans Cemetery and it dishonors our American Veterans.
I ask that you personally support or introduce legislation that will restore the Clark Veterans Cemetery and bring it under the jurisdiction of the American Battle Monuments Commission, the Veterans Administration or other agency of the U.S. Government. The projected cost for restoring the Clark Veterans Cemetery and its annual upkeep is quite minimal. Because the stones and entire cemetery were covered with up to 10 inches of ash, many of the markers appear to have 'sunk' into the earth. It is estimated that less than $1.5 million would be needed to bring the cemetery back up to standards one expects with our cemeteries managed by the ABMC or VA, with only an annual budget of perhaps $100,000 to maintain it after it has been restored. This is an insignificant amount for ensuring that our U.S. Veterans who have contributed so much to their nation are properly honored and never forgotten!
Please view www.cvcra.org for more details on Clark Veterans Cemetery. I would be pleased to discuss this issue with you, or our Washington advocate, Mr. Ike Puzon, ike.puzon@ausn.org, would be pleased to visit and meet with you to seek ways of introducing and passing this legislation.
Sincerely
(Sign)
Your Name
Your Address, phone number and email
FIFTH:
Please make sure to forward a copy to Administrator@cvcra.org so that we might track the collective efforts or our members.
|