Please forgive me, I know there have been several diaries on Kerry's speech to today, but they've long rolled by, we're posting diaries faster then they sell cotton candy at the fair.
Just watched Kerry's speech on C-Span. I've summed up important points he made that should help turn the military vote in his favor.
And one other thing, I'm a dyslexic write, and the spell checker is gone. Forgive my mistakes. It's obvious from the speed of Kos that we're taking a heavy toll on it. But I'm so grateful that it's here.
details below.
First is Tri Care, the health insurance for families who have a member called to active duty. Currently, some members aren't covered at all, others only receive coverage while they're on active duty. I won't go into the details, but providing members of the guard and reserves with consistent health-care coverage has long been a sore spot, and one that Kerry promised to amend by extending it to all members of the guard and reserves all the time. This is huge, and it's a move that's long overdue.
He promised better enforcement of USERRA, though he didn't use that term. Members of the Reserves and National Guard are 'civilian soldiers,' they have duel careers as a member of the military and employees in the private sector. Their jobs are protected by USERRA, but many members find they're discriminated against for their service, and many come home from deployment to find their jobs gone. (Inversely, USERRA requirements place a heavy burden on small businesses who hire guardsmen and reservists, they can lose key people for exteneded periods of time but cannot replace them. Many small businesses have failed or suffered severe financial hardship during these callups. Yet it's also illegal for businesses to discriminate against guardsmen and reservist in their hiring policies.)
Kerry acknowledged was how important the National Guard and Reserves are to homeland security. Many members are first responders -- EMTs, firefighters, police officers. They're the people who respond to devestating events like hurricanes and terrorist attacks at home. Removing them from our communities weakens our ability to protect and respond to disasters. He said he would make the Guard an integral part of planning for homeland security, a duty which many members I've interviewed felt was within their role, as opposed to the extended deployments they now face filling in for active duty soldiers without active-duty equipment or benefits.
He promised to lower the retirement age to 55 for people who've been deployed on active combat. Again, this is huge.
He promised an additional 40,000 active duty troops committed to preparing for future problems, not for Iraq. Right now, many in the military are worried because our forces are so overextended that we'll be unable to respond should another disaster befall us.
While there was more, these are significant points that will go over well with the military. It was a good speech, he showed familarity with the concerns, and suggested solutions that are reasonable.
And He got a great response when he promised to be truthful on the both the good days and the bad. I know many in the military are dyed in the wool Republicans, but even more know they're being poorly led. This speech should help them see the light at the end of the tunnel.