Veterans Equal Rights Protection Advocacy, Inc.
~VERPA~
P.O. Box 8225, Medford, OR 97504-0225
"Veterans & Families For Equal Justice Under Law"
Inc. December 1999
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Chairman: John McCarthy (CA) * Founder/Executive Director: Jeffrey A. Trueman (PA)
Legislative Coordinator: Barbara Cragnotti (OR) * VA Abuse Coordinator: Susan Bauer (IL)
Human Rights Coordinator: Rusty Rustan (CA) * Legal Coordinator: Misha Coale (VA)
Gulf War S/I Coordinator: Robert J. Jones (NC) * PR Coordinator: Renee Thurlow (MI)
National Security Coordinator: Mark Zeller (GA)
Web site: www.verpa.org

NEWS RELEASE - Saturday, June 5, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For further information Contact:
Barbara Cragnotti, Legislative Coordinator, VERPA
Tele: (541) 773-8169 / Fax: (541) 772-9927 or
Jeffrey A. Trueman, Founder, VERPA
Tele: (757) 338-0593 / Fax: (610) 834-7659

FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO ABOLISH THE
"FERES DOCTRINE"
NOW PENDING BEFORE THE UNITED STATES SENATE
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

(Medford, OR - 6/5/04) - VERPA, an all volunteer national grassroots movement of United States military, veterans and families announces its proposed legislation and language to abolish the Feres Doctrine entitled the: "Military & Veterans Equal Rights Protection Act," short title: "VERPA Act" has been approved by Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter's Chief Counsel.

The 54-year old judicially created Feres Doctrine injustice denying service members, veterans and their loved ones equal protection of the United States Constitution is best described by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Scalia in the case of United States v. Johnson, (1987):

"Feres was wrongly decided and heartily deserves the widespread, almost universal criticism it has received." Furthermore, "Congress's inaction regarding this doctrine and its doing little, if anything in the way of modifying it to prevent Constitutional claims is clearly unjust and irrational. Again, allowing such power to military leaders can and does result in abuse therefore, where are the checks and balances on the military."

With the pending presidential elections and military draft of young American men and women ages 18-26, the time to abolish the Feres Doctrine is NOW! Please contact your United States Senators and urge them to sponsor or co-sponsor the VERPA Act.

For more information as to the human, constitutional and systemic abuses denied redress within the military's command, legal and medical systems under the Feres Doctrine please see www.verpa.org.

The time to abolish the Feres Doctrine is now or never!

"Military men are dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns for foreign policy."
Henry Kissinger statement to Bob Woodward of the Washington Post
The Final Days (1976)

"Currently, as of 27 February 2004, the court martial proceedings have been stayed pending further action by the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF). The stay was imposed in response to a petition for extraordinary writ for the denial of a security clearance for Major Schmidt’s attorney, Mr. Charles Gittins. An initial appeal for a stay and review of the Military Judges decision was filed with the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals on 16 January 2004. The Air Force Court denied the request for the stay and instructed the legal process to continue with a ruling on the issue of the security clearance for the defense counsel to follow. Upon receiving the decision denying the stay the defense counsel raised the issue with the CAAF which, in turn, imposed the stay. The CAAF deferred ruling on the writ about the security clearance till after the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals has completed its review of the underlying writ petition (compelling the Government to process Mr. Gittins for a security clearance).

Harry and Joan, proud parents of Maj. Harry Schmidt"