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Cold War, War on Terror vets also memorialized Sunday, May 25, 2008 Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Mike Jackson, 61, of Tipp City remembers a horn sounding one early morning in the 1970s on his Florida military base. It was the Cold War, and he was ready day or night to board his B-52 carrying nuclear weapons in response to a Soviet threat. At that moment, a war fought in shadows came to life for Jackson. "Sitting in that plane, seeing the whole base coming to life, I thought 'Is this real or is this an exercise,'" he said. "We could really be taking off and could really be taking part in a nuclear war. It was very unnerving." Jackson, who is president of the American Veterans' Institute, which works to welcome soldiers home after service, is humble about the holiday, realizing it's intended to be a day to honor those who have died in service. Still, some question whether the Cold War should be remembered as a war and its veterans deserving of accolades that other veterans receive. Jackson said many today don't remember the intensity and anxiety of the Cold War period. "People that were around then haven't forgotten it; hiding under desks during alerts and practices for nuclear attack," he said. There has been a recent bright spot: On May 1, 2004 the first Cold War Victory Day was declared by veterans' groups. Dr. Eric Drown, a psychologist at Dayton Veteran Affairs Medical Center, said his greatest concern is veterans' self-censorship of their own accomplishments and contributions, which minimizes their service. "Once they are here, we quickly can normalize and validate their experiences," he said. For complete article, click here __________________ |
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