Webb Pledges Support For Veterans, Warns National Leaders Regarding Misuse of Military

DENVER, CO— As an audience of nearly 1,000 Marine veterans, active duty Marines and family members rewarded him with a standing ovation Saturday night, Jim Webb, U.S. Senate candidate from Virginia, pledged his support for America's military veterans, and warned national leaders of betraying the trust shown by those who step forward to serve our nation.

Delivering the keynote address at the 1st Marine Division Association Reunion Banquet, Webb stated that, if elected, "those who are serving, and those who have served, will have no greater friend in the U.S. Congress." He also urged veterans and lawmakers to support two proposals that have become a linchpin of his campaign: a permanent 5 percent tax break for all honorably discharged veterans, and a "true wartime" G.I. Bill for those who have served in the military during the operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Webb, a member of the association and the guest of honor for the entire reunion, served with the division's 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, in the infamous An Hoa Basin of Vietnam. Operating as a rifle platoon and company commander during some of the war's most intense combat, Webb was awarded the Navy Cross, Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts for his valor and combat leadership.

Addressing the implications of the war in Iraq, about which he warned more than a year before the 2003 invasion, Webb "laid down the gauntlet" to current government leaders. "Our leaders should contemplate one reality every time they face a crisis, however small, which puts our military at risk," he said. "It is simply this: You hold our soldiers' lives in sacred trust. When a citizen has stepped forward to serve, and to put his life at risk based on your political judgment, do not abuse that trust through careless policy, unclear objectives, or inflexible leadership."

Webb said that he came up with the idea of a tax break for those who have served in the military based on his study of the early "militia laws" of 200 years ago, where every able-bodied male was required to serve. "Service was a citizen tax in those days," he said. "Today, those who are not serving should be willing to give those who are serving a permanent tax break, as the ‘flip side' of the older logic."

Regarding an improvement to the G.I. Bill, Webb said that today's military people deserve educational benefits that equate to the sacrifices they have made since 9/11.

"When I look at the men and women who are serving today, the G.I. Bill does not match the quality of their service," he said. "The GI Bill for today's military was created during peace time. It is a ‘pay-in" bill that does not honor the intensity of their service. Those who have served since 9-11 deserve a G.I. Bill like the World War II veterans received, one that pays full tuition, the cost of their books and a monthly stipend."

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