Mr. Stokely sends news that the GA State Hero's Legislation is in need of some help to amend it to include the wives of the 26 GA National Guard Soldiers that died in OIFIII. He writes:
Brief History of events on the Hero Legislation: original bill passed the GA legislature in 2005, effective May 3, 2005 to honor and reward our GA NATL Guard soldiers and Reservists called up to combat tour of duty, particularly IRAQ, and prompted by the massive call-up of the 48th Brigade. Would give a $2,000 a year grant for up to four years attendance to college / tech school to in-state institutions - maximum $8,000 pro-rated if part-time attendance. This benefit also would be given any child of the soldier (less than 27? or so) including any child born nine months or less after the soldier returned from tour of duty. When Mike died three months later and I was checking to see about surviving spouse benefit for his wife, discovered no such benefit. Further, I discovered if he had children they would not have qualified because he died 3 months into his combat tour and did not serve the mandatory qualifying 180 days tour of duty; such 180 day tour of duty would have also disqualified the two soldiers with Mike the night he died that were seriously wounded and sent home, as well as their children.
I asked my state senator (Sebaugh) to see if these matters could be amended and he got with the bill's original author (John Douglas) and they co-sponsored a new bill in the 2006 session to amend the 2005 law to incude soldiers who died or were wounded / sent home before 180 day mark and to include provision for surviving spouse to use the fallen soldier's benefit to better their education. Sailed through the State Senate, and then quietly, for whatever reason (misunderstanding I hope) the surviving spouse provision was eliminated by the House Higher Education Committee, sent to the House Floor where it passed (again may have been misunderstanding) and then in the last day or so, sent back to the Senate for approval. Senate's hands were tied - take the partial amendment to make eligible those soldier's who died or were wounded before 180 days, or not do anything. Senate passed the partially amended bill. Now, I have asked my State Representative Horne (and co-sponsor is Ronald Forster) to introduce an amendment to add back the surviving spouse clause - HB 131 - SEE LINK BELOW. Bill is pending in House Higher Education Committee - if we can get it favorably reported out of committee, voted to approve by the full House, and it goes to the Senate, I would think that the Senate would overwhelming approve it and the Governor would sign it.
Here is the action plan I need you to help me execute, and to get as many you know to execute. It is going to take a litte of your time - hopefully one hour or less. It is going to take a little of your pen, paper, and postage, and a phone call or two. But, I am going to say this, not that you need to hear this yourself, but that others might need as encouragement to want to help - 26 48th Brigade soldiers - our loved ones, friends, and patriots of patriots - gave their whole life for our State and our Country. Not all of them were married, but in honor of all of them, especially those that were married, let's give a little of ourselves to see that their surviving spouse is able to go have this grant in place of their fallen spouse and thus be better able to provide for themselves and their families, especially those who now bear alone the burden of supporting children of these fallen soldiers. Had these 26 come home and used their grant, the cost to the State of Georgia would have been $208,000 (two hundred and eight thousand dollars) - a small pittance to a state that has $600,000,000 (six hundred million surplus) and a gabillion yearly budget. Since not all 26 were married, and even if all of the surviving spouses of those 26 went back to school and used the entire $8,000 each, the cost would still be less than the $208,000 the State was willing to spend on the fallen soldier to help that soldier be better able to provide for their family in the future and to thank that soldier for their service. Again, the surviving spouse - all of them wives, now widows, could certainly benefit from this money and deserve this thank you on behalf of the husbands they lost in the service of our State and our Country.
NOW - REMEMBER - THIS DOES NOT INVOLVE ANYBODY IN WASHINGTON DC, CONGRESS, THE PRESIDENT, OR THE VA. This is a State of Georgia matter and only concerns Governor Perdue, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, your Georgia Legislature where your State Representative and your State Senator serve at the State Capitol in Atlanta (everybody in Georgia has a State Representative and a State Senator). This is a State of Georgia issue and if you write somebody in Washington, they are not going to have any idea what you are talking about.
Now to the plan: 1) use the General Assembly Link below and go through the House side of the screen and go to the Committee link and click House Higher Education Committee and you will see who serves on that Committee. There is an address listed as well as a phone number. Let's cover them up with a personal letter (if handwritten, be sure they can read it) and a personal phone call (number is on the Committee's web page). Write each member especially the Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. Email is not as effective in my opinion, but if you want to send an email or fax, then at least do that.
2) Go ahead and do the same as above with your State Representative, and remind them you live in their district and don't be bashful about pointing out you vote as well as your family (non threatening of course). Contact them now and ask them to ask the Committee to favorably report this out of Committee with the provision that it relate back to the date the survivings spouse incurred expense of education following the soldier's death, and that it become law when the Governor signs it or such later time as the law provides.Call them as well. (State Directory Assistance 404-656-2000). If you are not sure who represents you call your county voter registration office and they can assist, or contact me.
3) Go ahead and contact your State Senator and do the same as your State Representative, and ask that they step across the hall and talk to their collegeaus in the State House of Rpresentatives to support HB 131 and to then support it when it gets to the Senate and not to let it get gutted and lost in the shuffle.Call them as well. (State Directory Assistance 404-656-2000) If you are not sure who represents you, call your county voter registration office and they can assist, or contact me.
4) Go ahead and contact House Speaker Glenn Richardson (he presides over the House/very powerful) and LT. Governor Cagle (he presides over the State Senate/very powerful) and ask them to use their influence and power to get this bill through their respective bodies and on to the Governor to sign.Call them as well (State Directory Information is 404-656-2000) Mailing address to get to each is State Capitol , Atlanta GA 30334.
5) Go ahead and contact Governor Perdue. Room 201 State Capitol Atlanta GA 30334 and to call is State Directory Assistance 404-656-2000. Don't let it be lost on the Governor how much power he has to make things happen below and how he can influence expediting getting a bill to his desk to sign.
This is important to me personally. I promised my boy, SGT Mike Stokely, I would look after his wife and I consider getting this bill part of that promise to him. But, it goes beyond that now, having had the chance to meet and get to know some of the wives of other fallen soldiers and their children.
My boy went to Iraq rather than taking a recruiting job cause he said he wouldn't run out on his guys. Well, every time I think of his words, I feel a new incentive to not run out on his wife, and the wives of his guys, and those throughout the 48th BDE. I am one person with one voice, and I can only ask others to join me with their voice and make our voices loud enough together to be heard on behalf of the widows of the fallen 48th BDE soldiers. I would consider your voice, your time, and your postage a big favor and certainly I would appreciate that help a lot.
The main link to the General Assembly is:Georgia General Assembly.
The link to the legislation is:House Bill 131.
Sorry for this very long post, but I wanted you to have all the informaton and be able to explain why you support HB 131, and to be able to decide whether this is a cause you wish to be a part of, and to ask your friends, co-workers, church and others to support. And let me forewarn you, it is not a "NO BRAINER" because if it were, it would not have been cut out in the 2006 amendement to the 2005 law. So, we need to make sure the message and importance is communciated. Squeaky Wheels do get greased at the State Capitol, and the louder the squeak, the sooner the grease comes out. But time is of the essence - there are fast approaching time lines that can cause this bill to not make it through the process, even if everyone in the process were willing to support it.
Thanks for letting me call on you.
Robert Stokely
rrwmastokely@aol.com (o.k.to give out to others)
cell: 678-416-1387 (o.k. to give out to others)
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