U.S. Greatness
By Kermit C. Moss
 

How great is the United States? The greatest nation in the world today? The greatest nation in the history of the world? I would say yes to all three of these questions! But do we have serious problems that need our attention? I would say yes to that, too.

Take the case of how we treat our veterans, soldiers, sailors, and marines, who have risked their lives for all of us, and been injured for life in the process. When they were disabled by war and went on disability pay that they expected to draw for life and when they turned 65, to draw retirement pay in addition to the disability pay. Why did they expect that? Because civil service retirees get that benefit, and this covers, of course, senators, congressmen, and a multitude of others who happen to fall into this "better than thou" group.

However, it would not be fair here not to note that social security has the same rule. Under that program a citizen that retires on disability cannot  draw both disability and regular retirement pay at age 65. But there is a significant difference.

To draw social security, generally one does not have to risk his/her life to qualify for it.

In conclusion, I don’t know what it takes to qualify one to establish his own doctrine. Monroe had one, Truman had one, and now there is talk of the Bush Doctrine.

So for whatever it is worth, if anything, here is mine:
"You can tell a lot about the of a country and its greatness by how it treats its veterans, especially those injured in the line of duty!"

Kermit C. Moss
PO Box 1136
Monticello, AR 71657
PH 870-367-2486