News-Info-Alerts

Re: VFW Wants Answers & Action on Speicher

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Date: March 22, 2002

"Dear XXXX:

Thanks for writing to the VFW about the case of Gulf War MIA Cmdr. Speicher. The VFW has been outspoken and visible on POW/MIA issues.  I am in frequent contact with all the government agencies that deal with POW/MIA accounting, we get frequent updates from a variety of sources, and we produce a weekly POW/MIA report our membership. In addition, National VFW officers do foreign travel to countries where our MIAs were lost to press both the U.S. and foreign governments to cooperate, show our concern, express our determination, and demand a full accounting for our missing service members.


The VFW has taken action to express our concern about this particular case, and will continue to do so. The American Legion and the VFW both are pushing this issue, but currently we do it alone. I've read all the press reports including the recently released unclassified intelligence community report to congress, and talked directly to government sources about this case. According to the reports, it is not certain that Commander Speicher is alive in captivity or not, however, it is certainly possible. In any case, the Iraqi government is not cooperating and will not provide the answers. We will continue to press our government to take action to determine the fate of Cmdr. Speicher and return him or his remains home.


Bruce R. Harder
Director
National Security & Foreign Affairs
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S.
202-608-8352 "