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Rolling Thunder®, Inc. spends hundreds of thousands of dollars each
year 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.
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In 2004, 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.
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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.
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Thousands of hours are logged in by members of the Rolling Thunder®,
Inc. organization each year 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.
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Rolling Thunder®, Inc. veterans often speak to youth groups about the
honor of serving their country and educating them about the POW/MIA
issue.
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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.
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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."
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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.
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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.
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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.
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LEGISLATION
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Rolling Thunder®, Inc. has advocated and co-authored legislation on
the POW/MIA issue and other veterans' concerns and interests.
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Missing Service Personnel Act of 1997
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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.
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Bring Them Home Alive Act of 2000
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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.
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Persian Gulf War POW/MIA Accountability Act of 2002, S.1339
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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.
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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.
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The POW/MIA Memorial Flag Act (S-1226)
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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.
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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.
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