VETERAN & COMMUNITY SERVICE

         Each year, Rolling Thunder®, National spends hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial support, food, clothing and other essentials to sanctioned veterans' groups, veterans and veterans' families in need, homeless veteran programs, women's' crisis centers, and toys for children. Our state chapters also spend hundreds of thousands of dollars each year on our issues and veterans.

         In past years, Rolling Thunder®, Inc. expended over $300,000 educating the public and increasing awareness about the POW/MIA issue and other injustices suffered by veterans from all wars, and to improve legislation that would rectify the POW/MIA situation and improve veterans' benefits from all wars.

         Rolling Thunder®, Inc. National sponsors search and retrieval missions into Southeast Asia for POW's, MIA's, and the remains of those killed in action.

         Thousands of hours were logged in by members of the Rolling Thunder®, Inc. organization in the year 2004 at local VA hospitals around the country; members visited with and provided moral support to nursing home veterans, patients suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and homeless veterans.

         Rolling Thunder®, Inc. veterans often speak to youth groups about the honor of serving their country and educating them about the POW/MIA issue.

         The organization regularly donates POW/MIA flags to local area schools, youth groups, non-profit organizations and special interest groups, and organizes flag raising ceremonies promoting public awareness about the POW/MIA issue.

         Rolling Thunder®, Inc. helped facilitate the publishing of a POW/MIA U.S. postage stamp through the U.S. Postal Service that displayed dog tags with the declaration, "POW & MIA - NEVER FORGOTTEN."

         Rolling Thunder®, Inc. is on the Board of Directors of the Ride to the Wall Foundation, a veterans' fund established through the sales of the musical C.D., "Ride to the Wall," produced for Rolling Thunder® XIV by the legendary Paul Revere and the Raiders in cooperation with Rolling Thunder®, Inc

         Rolling Thunder®, Inc. participated in the dedication of the World War II Memorial in 2004 and assisted with organizing the World War II parade that took place on that historic date.

        In 2005, Rolling Thunder®, Inc. united with the National Alliance of POW/MIA Families to petition the U.S. Government to use the designation “Prisoner of War” (POW) – a designation recognized by the Geneva Conventions - not “Missing/Captured” (MIA-C), to ensure that prisoners’ rights and protections remain consistent under the Geneva Conventions.

LEGISLATION

Rolling Thunder®, Inc. has advocated and co-authored legislation on the POW/MIA issue and other veterans' concerns and interests.

         Missing Service Personnel Act of 1997

Since the mid-1980's, Rolling Thunder®, Inc. has worked tirelessly on this bill that would guarantee missing servicemen or women could not be arbitrarily "killed on paper" by the U.S. government without credible proof of death.  The bill was originally sponsored by Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Colorado) in 1993.  Rolling Thunder®, Inc.'s efforts helped facilitate passing of a majority of the resolutions, and efforts continue to restore the law as it was originally written.

         Bring Them Home Alive Act of 2000

Rolling Thunder®, Inc. also co-authored the Bring Them Home Alive Act of 2000, which was co-authored and sponsored by Senator Nighthorse-Campbell.  The Act provides for the granting of refugee status in the United States to nationals of certain foreign countries in which American Vietnam War POW/MIAs or American Korean War POW/MIAs may be present, if those nationals assist in returning POW/MIAs alive.

Persian Gulf War POW/MIA Accountability Act of 2002, S.1339

First introduced by Campbell in August 2, 2001, the legislation amends the Bring Them Home Alive Act of 2000 which was signed into law in November of 2001. That law provides for the granting of refugee status in the United States to nationals of certain foreign countries in which American Vietnam POW/MIAs or American Korean War POW/MIAs may be present, if those nationals assist in returning POW/MIAs alive. The new law extends the granting of refugee status in the United States to nationals of Iraq or the greater Middle East region. It provides for the International Broadcasting Bureau, which includes the Voice of America, to broadcast information about the law in the Middle East.

The necessity of this legislation is demonstrated by the case of Sgt. Matt Maupin (Army), an American soldier whose fuel convoy came under fire near Baghdad on April 9, 2004.  Sgt. Maupin has been missing ever since.  Another name not unfamiliar to us is Capt. Scott Speicher (Navy), a Persian Gulf War Veteran who has been missing since 1991 with no conclusive evidence of his fate.

        The POW/MIA Memorial Flag Act (S-1226)

This bill was signed into legislation by President George W. Bush in part due to Rolling Thunder®, Inc.’s lobbying efforts. The main force behind this bill was Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell and Congressman Dan Burton. The POW/MIA flag will fly below the American Flag any day the American flag is flown in Washington, DC at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean Memorial and the WWII memorial.

Rolling Thunder®, Inc. continues to lobby for enhanced legislation for finding and returning American Prisoners of War, and for legislation to increase military funding to provide our troops with the proper combat protection gear, better compensation, and to provide our troops and veterans with better healthcare and disability benefits.