Your help is needed to give some honor to combat veterans. As a combat veteran I have been both honored and dishonored. The dishonor came from the most unsuspecting place, the government. America's government does not honor it's combat veterans like it should. In fact, my 17 year old niece, who is a dependent of a retired Army sergeant received more respect then I , a Gulf War Veteran. I served 8 years in the Air Force, some active and some as a reservist. I was in the reserves on January 26th, 1991 when I was called to active duty. I was a flight engineer aboard the C-141 cargo plane. During the Gulf War I flew 8 combat missions into the IDZ, Imminent Danger Zone. We flew a plane full of bombs to the forward airstrips and flew out the wounded and casualties as a Medi-vac. I was happy to go when my country called for me, and I am proud to be a Gulf War Veteran.

I didn't ask "what's in it for me" when I signed up nor when I returned, but I recently experienced something which has me questioning my value to this country. Before I elaborate on the dishonor I was shown by my government, let me first tell you about all of the recognition which I was awarded. As an aviator in the United States Air Force I have flown numerous missions. After the war, I flew to Australia where the crew and I had lunch in a small restaurant. An Australian lady who recognized us as servicemen came to our table, hugged us, said thank you for what we had done and then generously bought our lunch. The city I lived in and graduated high school from, Colton California, had a parade to honor residents from Colton who answered the call to duty. A few months later, an elementary school asked me to be a guest speaker where the second graders made me thank you posters. I now reside in Hawaii and I proudly drive the streets with a license plate that identifies me as a combat veteran. Thank yous from foreigners, my city, my state and from children, but what from the government which called me to fight for this country, to risk my life for this country? Nothing but a slap in the face.

This slap came when my family decided to visit me here in Hawaii. My brother-in-law, who could not make the trip, is a retired Army sergeant. As a retiree, he was given an ID card which allows him access to military installations to include the shopping facilities and even stand-by flights aboard military transports. As his dependents, my sister and niece also possess military ID. Upon discharge from the military,

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