Classact Group: Final Plan to Pressure National Defense Authorization Act Conference Committee Members

Since 09-13-04

Updated 01-30-06 to update some dead links

Subj: Classact Group: Final Plan to Pressure National Defense Authorization Act Conference Committee Members 
Date: 9/7/2004 3:23:10 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: lawsuit@classact-lawsuit.com
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Sent from the Internet (Details)


Brother and Sister Retirees, Spouses, Widows, and friends,

This is a difficult message to prepare and an even more troubling to recognize and accept that support for the fight we have been waging for military retiree medical care is near death.Our effort of support has decreased to a handful of grass rooters that probably will never give up the fight, but there is a time when others honorably choose to move on with personal lives in their few remaining years.It is not necessary to again document all the medical care success that we enjoy as a result of Col Bud Day, Lt Col Bob Reinlie, and the late Lt Col Sam Schism’s efforts on our behalf.

TRICARE for Life(TFL) and Senior Pharmacy legislation has impacted millions of retirees, spouses, and widows and added a substantial measure to everyone’s quality of life. While there are other contributions to the success of TFL and Senior Pharmacy, there can be no dispute, Col Day’s lawsuit was the major contributing factor in raising the military retiree medical care betrayal issue to National level attention.There was an outpouring of support of Col Day’s lawsuit and a grass root effort developed gaining national attention that all but forced TRICARE for Life and Senior Pharmacy legislation in 2000.

After the lawsuit Col Day was spearheading ended in June 2003 at the U.S. Supreme Court, Col Day agreed to continue his efforts in any way he could. True to his word, he has neglected his legal practice and personal pursuits in order to carry our message anytime and anywhere he could.

The U.S. Court of Appeals and U.S. Supreme court ruled against our legal challenge, but suggested in their ruling that Congress had a moral obligation to fulfill the medical care promise, thus, we were not without hope. With the Appeals Court pointing to Congressional responsibility to restore our earned medical care, our focus shifted decisively and completely to political action, although grass rooters had been working a parallel political action for years.

We knew influencing Congress to favorably enact legislation to restore our medical care as earned, would be a tough, long term fight and deliberate grass roots activism would be key. Congress only reacts when they feel a firm, sustained, cohesive, outcry, that raises the pitch they can’t ignore or reflects a career threatening movement if they do ignore the issue.

To make a long story short, we started our political emphasis with a loud roar which is now a whimper at best. Retirees, spouses and widows are simply not motivated to the level of action necessary to gain Congressional success.

The bottom line is most appear not interested in continuing the fight……maybe satisfied with Medicare and TFL, maybe just burned out, maybe just don’t care, or never did lend a hand. We appear to be at a stage that only by the grace of God will anything positively happen to advance military retiree medical care.

Some truly can’t help but those that can seem unwilling to help ourselves.Guidance has been shared on many options to help win our political battle. Most have been cost-free and only involve people picking up the phone, sending an email, and other initiatives that required minimal time and effort support to gain Congressional legislation. Most people simply have not taken an active role in the Congressional fight…..in short have been satisfied to allow a relative few to shoulder the load. To all who have given so much for so long - without you there would be no TRICARE for Life; senior pharmacy benefit; disability compensation success,

SBP success on the horizon, and in general, a renewed public awareness of government attitude ignoring warriors, their spouses, and widows. Millions are in your debt.We remind you again, Medicare Part B will increase 17% (not social security as was said in an email over the weekend) next year and you can count on it rising every year henceforth.  HR 3474, Keep Our Promise Bill passage eliminates Medicare Part B payment for Class Act members and thousands of others. Favorable action won't happen if we watch from the sidelines. With this email, Col Day,

Lt Col Reinlie, and Class Act staff are providing one final opportunity to focus thousands of phone calls on Congress in the next several months. If there is only minimal response as we have seen in the past, then Class Act Group, Ft Walton Beach will cease operation and stand down.

HERE'S THE PLAN...BEGINNING 07 SEPTEMBER, 2004

...it will take every retiree, spouse, widow and friend to bring the PRESSURE necessary on Congress to move our Medicare Care Language from S2065/HR 3474 into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report and also PRESSURE Congress to accept the House of Representatives version of the SBP language passed in the House NDAA Bill; CONGRESS ONLY RESPONDS TO PRESSURE

The TOLL FREE number is 877-762-8762 or you may use commercial 202-224-3121.
If your last name begins with A through K, you are to call the following Congress members on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week until we at Class Act Group notifies you to stop.

If your name begins with L through Z, you are to call the following Congress members on Tuesday and Thursday of each week until we at Class Act Group notifies you to stop.
Here are the four key Congressmen on the NDAA Conference Committee that you should contact without fail:

Senator John Warner, VA,

Senator Carl Levin, MI,

Representative Duncan Hunter, CA,

Representative Ike Skelton, MO.

If the lines are busy to the office your are calling, ask the operator to call another name on the list below.

DO NOT GIVE UP,

You must make these calls without fail. We at Class Act Group will be in touch with contacts in Washington and monitor the level of calls.

When you reach one of the Congressmen/women you may tell them in your own polite but "firm" words something to the effect: "National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Committee must take care of military retirees, spouses, and widows by incorporating:

1. language from S2065/HR 3474, Keep Our Promise Act and ;

2. Select the Survivor Benefit Program (SBP) Version of the NDAA Bill the House of Representatives passed;

and include both into the NDAA Conference Committee Report."