February 6, 2006

THE MISSION OF THE KWVA/USA is
DEFEND our Nation
CARE for our Veterans
PERPETUATE our Legacy
REMEMBER our Missing and Fallen
MAINTAIN our Memorial
SUPPORT a free Korea

Friends, Members, Veterans,

Regular members of the Korean War Veterans Organization are veterans of military service, or they are not legal members. We make no apology for defending America, anywhere, anytime. Most of us bought that right in the first live-fire war open battlefield of the Cold War, in Korea; and, many of you have served in the succeeding battles of that war, still going on, defending FREEDOM. In the process we enabled a great people, the Koreans, to birth and nurture one of the greatest nations in the world today, The Republic of Korea.

Many years later the Korean War Veterans Association, USA, was organized and incorporated by a small group of veterans--VFW members for the most part, supported by the VFW in doing so. They were led by Bill Norris, from New York, a gifted former non-commissioned officer who served in 25th Infantry Division in Korea.

In our short life, July 27, 1985 to date - not a long time - we have seen many changes; however all changes have been to a purpose--a mission--that had never been explicitly stated. While he was President our Founder carried on the mission, but others later began to stray from the incorporated purpose for our existence. For example, Bill clearly wrote and amended our documents, in 1986, that the War was still going on, and that every veteran who served on the Peninsula since 1954--he called them Korea Service Veterans--was entitled by their service to join the KWVA.

In late 2004, I became convinced of that fact, which as a soldier for over two decades I had always taken for granted. For this belief, I was cursed by some, and encountered considerable resistance for this view by others. Sadly, I found that many of our 1950-1954 veterans had the same attitude of excluding the younger veterans, a regrettable practice that severely crippled our sister veterans service organizations when they shunned the Korean and then Vietnam War veterans - “no one but us.” Even today, I have read some of the Chapter Bylaws and read that only veterans, who honorably served, 1950-1954, in Korea, can be a member and that no one else can! Aside to being contrary to the laws under which we are incorporated, and the public laws of the United States under which we have a not-for-profit status, it is a death wish.

We recently were required to state the KWVA Mission in twenty-five words or less. We found that we had no mission statement. We had a Preamble to the Bylaws (similar to our incorporation) of some 272 words. Some of us began working on that and got it done; you see it above. President Bill Norris would recognize that Mission with pride; thus, I have carried on in his tradition. Others may disagree but they do not have the responsibility of the President. The Mission statement carries on the vision of Bill Norris and the principles of General Ray Davis, MOH, our late Honorary President for Life.

Part of our Mission is the maintenance of The Korean War Veterans Memorial on the Mall at the Capitol. I want to congratulate two chapters which have signed up to support that effort.  The KWVA was a major contributing factor in the building of the Memorial. The need for underwriting maintenance and improvements goes on round the clock, daylight or dark, broiling heat or freezing snow--just as our operations in Korea did over fifty years ago, and still do. Colonel Bill Weber, whom many of you know, a Life Member of the KWVA, and Executive Director of the KWVM Foundation, has asked for Chapters to step up and make pledges to our memorial. He has suggested raising funds through sales of the Rose of Sharon, national flower of Korea, for the Memorial. The two very first chapters to pledge $2,000 each, this year, were Maryland Chapter (33), Dundalk, MD, and Korean War Veterans Chapter (142), Frederick, MD. These two Chapters are commended for their generous response to our Association’s responsibility for our National Memorial.

As an aside, several people that I have encountered around the country have asked me, not always in a completely friendly way, why Maryland Chapter (33) should get all the money and the rights to wholesaling the Rose of Sharon (see the purchased ad in each issue of The Graybeards). I recently asked Director Bob Banker, a member of that Chapter. Bob’s answer was encouraging. The Chapter thought up the idea, the Chapter designed the flower, the Chapter contracted with a manufacturer in Korea to produce the flower, and Maryland Chapter patented the product. Again, I commend the Chapter for its initiative, industry, and diligence in designing and marketing a unique product that all may utilize in fund raising activities and have done so over the years.

On the homepage you will find announcements about a unique fund-raising program, the opportunity to purchase tickets for the awarding of THREE of the Korean War’s primary infantrymen’s weapons--one winner, three weapons! At the 2005 Annual Convention a Fund Raising Task Force was formed under the Budget and Finance Committee. They have planned and developed this program (and another to be announced later) and each KWVA member will be getting a letter with additional details. The firm of Daenen Henderson & Co, CPA will be responsible for the receipts in the program, under supervision of the Budget and Finance Committee and the Task Force.

Part of the problems of the KWVA have arisen because leadership after Norris and Davis did not always appear to have cared very much about how we were going to do what we were supposed to be doing. Maybe it was not clear. Maybe it was because we had no Mission.

We do now.

Good luck and thank you as we set about carrying out our MISSION!


Louis T. Dechert
KWVA National President