Austin, Texas Chapter

The Association for all Military Officers
Companion Bulletin -September 2005

Commander's Comments A new season dawns and Companions look forward to another year of fellowship. Because of a schedule conflict our first meeting will be 15 September and thereafter the normal second Thursday. As usual at our first meeting we have one or two students relate their experiences at Youth Leadership Conference (YLC) instead of our speaker program. They are intelligent students who always provide us with an outstanding presentation - definitely an occasion not to miss. Thanks to all who are filling Chapter officers position this year. COL McVeigh graciously volunteered to administer the YLC again this year, and the Awards Program will be in the capable hands of COL Holland. Please be ready to assist them when they call. The 1st Vice Cmdr, who is in charge of the Speaker Program, is still vacant - your help is needed. Suggestions regarding programs are always welcome. Membership is a prime concern. We need everyone to do their part to expound the merits of our great organization and bring aboard new members. As you well know this is a must if we are to continue with our beneficial programs and camaraderie. Meeting, 15 Sept. 2005 Holiday Inn Northwest (Mopac & Hwy 183) The cost for the evening is $18.00. If you are not called by 11 Sept., contact COL Szendrey (388-1005).

Meeting, 15 September. 2005 Holiday Inn Northwest (Mopac & Hwy 183) The cost for the evening is $ 18.00. If you are not called by 11 Sept., contact COL Szendrey (388- 1005). Schedule: 1830-1900-Social 1900-1905 - Invocation & Salutes 1905-1945-Dinner 1945-2000-Break 2000-2015- Awards & Festivities 2015-2045-Speaker 2045-2100-Adjourn Menu Italian Lasagna w/ Garlic Bread Sticks, Fresh Vegetables & Dessert Speaker Youth Leadership Conference students. Chaplain's Selection "Time is so fleeting, that if we do not remember God in our youth, age may find us incapable of thinking about Him." Hans Christian Anderson

Legislation * Last year. Rep. Hensarling (R-TX) introduced legislation aimed at imposing automatic and arbitrary cuts in so-called entitlements spending programs when their cost rose above certain relatively modest levels. Under government accounting definitions, military retirement, survivor benefits, veterans' benefits and TRICARE For Life fall in this category, along with programs ranging from student loans to Medicare. The House of Representatives rejected the proposal. Now, House Majority Leader Tom Delay is consulting with a group of colleagues (including Reps. Hensarling and Kirk) about considering some kind of budget enforcement bill this fall. H.R. 2290 would require automatic cuts in selected programs if total entitlements spending growth over the previous year exceeds that due to increases in inflation and population - about 2.4% per year. Federal civilian retirement would be exempt from automatic cuts, but military retirement and survivor benefits, veterans' benefits, and TRICARE For Life would not. Congress is unlikely to enact a plan that draconian, but some such mechanism is not out of the question. History (and current Pentagon rhetoric about the rising cost of military benefits) makes it clear that sentiments can change in a hurry, so this potential threat cannot be discounted. You may want to contact your representatives in Congress. The House approved Joint Resolution 70 that would amend the U.S. Constitution and prohibit_ physical desecration of the U.S. flag. The Senate has rejected each of the previous seven proposals.

The last time the Senate considered such an amendment, in 2000, it failed to pass by only four votes. If the Senate approves the amendment, three-fourths of the states must approve it within seven years for it to be ratified. Item of Interest Due to rising inflation caused by higher gas and oil prices, government officials are predicting that the January 2006 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for federal and military retirees and Social Security recipients will be at least 3.1 percent. The final COLA for 2006 will not be set until after the August and September inflation figures are calculated.  GIs who served in the Persian Gulf War show a higher rate of fatigue, skin rashes, stomach problems and body pain than those who didn't, according to the results of a study.  Chronic fatigue syndrome was found in 16 of every 1,000 deployed troops compared to only one of every 1,000 non-deployed troops. Fibromyalgia, a persistent body pain lasting at least three months, was present in 20 of every 1,000 deployed GIs and 12 of every 1,000 non-deployed GIs.  Skin rashes occurred in 346 of every 1,000 deployed troops and 268 of every 1,000 non- deployed troops.  Stomach pain was reported by 91 of every 1,000 Gulf vets compared to 60 of every 1,000 non-deployed troops.

 

Iran's Nuclear Ambitions & U.S. Options The Iranian nuclear program is not unique to the current Islamist regime. Iran's nuclear program predates the Islamic Republic. It commenced with the revolution of 1978-79 that brought Ayatollah Khomeini to power. Iran's motivations for developing nuclear weapons are diverse and varied. Firstly, it seeks what most powers seek by acquiring nuclear weapons: power, prestige, and influence; also deterrence and a sense of self-reliance. Iran is not motivated exclusively or even primarily by security concerns. It follows that U.S. security guarantees are unlikely to be sufficient to dissuade Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons. If Iran goes nuclear there will be a number of political consequences. First, it will further demoralize those seeking political change, and strengthen the regime hard-liners. This in turn will result in Iran's neighbors becoming increasingly solicitous of Iranian opinion. Some, like Saudi Arabia and various oil-rich Gulf states, might seek an independent WMD capability, and some will seek to strengthen security cooperation with the U.S. Israel would probably further reduce the thin veneer of ambiguity surrounding its own nuclear program, Delaying the day Iran becomes a nuclear power is still important, but the U.S. is reaching a point of diminishing returns, because Iran is becoming increasingly self-sufficient in the nuclear realm. A diplomatic deal that sees Iran relinquish its quest for a nuclear capability is unlikely, because Iran refuses to compromise over enrichment and reprocessing capabilities and also

because the most potent lever - the possibility of an oil embargo - is off the table due to already high oil prices. Preventive military action is not the attractive option it might be thought to be, because the U.S. may not have sufficiently detailed intelligence required for success. However the possibility of military action must remain on the table as a spur to diplomacy, and because the necessary conditions for success might be fulfilled, as a result of dogged intelligence work, or dumb luck. A combination of deterrence and containment might eventually be what the U.S. is forced to do, since it seems unlikely that the U.S. will succeed in dissuading Iran from going nuclear. The current Iranian leadership would probably prefer to be isolated with the bomb, than on warm terms with the international community without the bomb. But the Iranian leadership probably does not see the choice in this way; it might well believe that it can have its cake and eat it too. There are major challenges in creating a stable deterrent relationship with Iran. But Iran's leadership does not have a martyrdom complex, and does not seek to destroy itself. It wants to survive and continue enjoying its life of privilege and will not take steps that could lead to destruction of the Islamic Republic. So we will need skill and luck. - Excerpts, Washington Institute for Near East Policy