I want to remind all of our membership that July 4th, 2009 is coming and many Chapters will be entering into parades to celebrate our freedoms and to remind citizens of the role veterans have played to safeguard those freedoms. I have read many books that tell of the hardships our founding Fathers went through to win our freedom on July 4, 1776 and then throughout history we Americans have had to battle those who wish to subject their wills and beliefs on the world and take away freedom. We have always fought for justice and you and I must continue to remind our citizens that Freedom is not Free.

I see that many of our chapters have been very active in our "Tell America Project" in schools and their communities. Very few American History books, used in the school systems today, mention much about World Wars I & II and have only a short paragraph about the Korean War. In our case I believe that many of us forgot the war and got on with our lives because when we returned home we found that many Americans did not even realize there was a war going on against the spread of communism. Most were tired of listening about war and some problems in a far off place that would never affect their lives. World War II had ended and they were ready for peace. Even as Armed Forces we wondered what we were doing in this far off place shedding blood for a country that for years had been slaves of other nations and was now in a civil war between the North and South that would never affect America. I still remember my first encounter with some of my hometown buddies when I returned home who asked, where have you been? When I said Korea their first question was, how come? When I said I believe I was in a war their statement was we didn't know there was a war. I returned to school, got married, found a job, had kids and got on with my life just as most of you did. I soon realized that no one really cared what I had done in Korea so I never brought it up again.

I began to wonder after 40 years where all those guys I served with were and what had happened to them. I decided to look for them. I found over 165 of them and started to have reunions and ran in to a couple of guys who had joined KWVA in various states and told me they were working to raise funds for a Monument and I ought to join and do something. I joined National and donated funds and then started to read books about the Korean War.

After the Cold War ended and our Korean War Monument was dedicated, we as Korean War Veterans started to become aware that our stopping the advancement of communism into South Korea and on into the Southeast Asian area were instrumental in the start of communism's downfall. So now we can be very proud of our accomplishments. South Korea has prospered with the freedom we fought and won for them. We need to stop using the words "The Forgotten War" and proclaim it as a victorious war during our 60th Commemorative years of 2010 - 2013 to make sure that everyone knows the Korean War was important and that it helped safeguard America against the further spread of communism. A 60th Commemorative Committee is now formed and working to get Congressional funding. You will hear more about this once a funding bill has been submitted. Be prepared to write your congressional representatives to approve funding and then participate in this commemorative period.

The Director's election will be completed by the time you receive this message in The Graybeards, and I "Thank You" for voting. I also send my "Thanks to all Veterans" who participated in Memorial Day activities. We should always remember our fellow veterans who are no longer with us, since we know first hand that their sacrifices were noble.

William F. Mac Swain
National President, KWVA/US

I have heard nothing but good reports on Korea Veterans being added to the front cover to show who The Graybeards magazine is about. Many of those who wrote expressed the thought that they were in Korea in 1951 mid year and later and were not considered to have graybeards and thought this was a very proper addition.

I can report to you that an audit was made by the Internal Revenue Service on January 24, 2009 The main reason we were audited was a third party reported that we conducted a lottery. Our CPA and I spent five hours with the agent and supplied answers to all his questions on our 2006 990 Form. I had hoped we could report something in this edition however, our latest inquiry to the agent finds that he has approximately a month of further work to complete his report.

I do have the following report on some of the things that I had placed on my priority list as Items (1) & (2) to do if elected as President, while (3) & (4) were added from hold over business. (1) The Board of Directors has agreed to place a six month moratorium on any new complaints to the Ethics and Grievance Committee until better guidelines in the Standard Procedure Manual can be approved by the Board. (2) They have also agreed that a Quarterly Financial Report may be placed on the website for download or to be looked at by the membership. (3) A decision was made to not supply the 60th Commemorative Committee with any seed money for their operation at this time. (4) There will also be a Board Meeting in conjunction with the Gathering in July 2009. All of these items were completed with a Business without a Meeting according to the Bylaws. The minutes of this meeting are included in this edition with one other motion included and the vote counts for all business done.

Our Annual Association Membership Meeting is still in work however its dates are mentioned elsewhere in the March/April Graybeards in a block form since we are still looking at many hotels. The dates of the meeting will allow you to set aside a time and also to make flight reservation to the DFW Airport in time to get cheaper rates. The hotel and registration information will be in the May/June edition of The Graybeards.

There are a great many things going on with the KWVA Chapters and again I want to compliment those Chapters who are supplying information and reports on their community involvement to our Korea Veterans magazine. It is always sad when we hear about the loss of a member and I want to remind you that if you know of a member who has passed on to please be sure and let the Membership Administrator know. We need to place the names in our "Last Call" section and to also include them in our Memorial Service at the Annual Association Membership Meeting. I have received information on the death of Mollie H. Snyder a 99 Year old Gold Star Mother who was a KWVA member since 1995. Her son was Walter H. Snyder, Jr. and he was killed in December 1950. She was President of the Gold Star Mothers in 1999 and attended our meeting in Washington, D.C. in 2003. Her death was on February 8, 2009.

I hope everyone takes the opportunity to read each and every resume that also appears in this edition and then votes in the Directors Election. I do expect all, who have decided to place their hat in the ring, did so to make the entire membership their chief reason for running and to do what is necessary to make their decisions the right one for the KWVA, Inc. and not for their personnel agenda. The leadership of the KWVA, Inc. is in your hands. It only requires a little time to take your ballot to the post office and purchase a stamp and drop your ballot in the mail.

William F. Mac Swain
National President, KWVA/US

I wish all Korean War Veterans Association, Inc. members a Happy New Year! We indeed need one that straightens out our economic worries and puts us back on track, where we have some control of our finances, and for most of us our 401K and IRA's that have seen a downturn in their worth.

I know that when you read this message you will have noticed the cover of our magazine. I have received some messages that say it is about time that we let people know that we are Korea Veterans. At the same time I have also received messages which say why in the world did you allow this change. So I believe some explanation is necessary as to why the Board of Directors decided to change the name. First the name has not been changed. It has had a statement added that says this magazine is about and for the Korea Veteran. And to our many members who remember why it was called The Graybeards, it is still called The Graybeards. I think this was a very good compromise that was decided by the Board of Directors, to let everyone who comes across this magazine to understand that it is about and for all Korea Veterans. It should also be noted that the Board of Directors made the decision on the wording and also the size of the print. The vote to make a change was unanimous, with no objection by the eleven voting members available at the October 24, 2008 Board Meeting in Norfolk, Virginia. They were not only asked and given a picture of the actual cover, but it was a unanimous decision by the entire Board of Directors as to what the cover wording would look like for each edition.

You will find in this edition a Fund Raiser which only asks the Life Members, who no longer or never were required to pay dues, for their help by donating funds for an edition of The Graybeards. Each edition cost around $30,000. Those Life Members who have been members for only six years now are being furnished a free magazine six times a year. If you look at the fact that we have nearly seven thousand (7,000) Life and POW Members who do not pay dues, yet receive an edition, you can see what kind of financial problem we face each year. Yes! It may be said if we had placed the Life Membership in a fund and drawn interest we would not have this problem. You are right, but that should have been done at the start many years ago. Seven thousand (7,000) members at $150 each would have been $1,050,000 times an average of 2.5% and would net us $26,250/year not quite one edition. No one did the math and now we suffer from inflation and the cost of mailing and publishing is higher than back in the good old days. The saying still stands that hindsight is always better than foresight. We, as a Board of Directors, figured that out too late and changed the rate for Life Membership a couple of years ago. I want to "Thank" the Fund Raising Committee for making this attempt to raise one edition funds. I believe a fully paid Annual Membership Meeting is a great prize. A second Fund Raiser for the entire membership will still be held this year.

The minutes of the Board of Directors and Membership Meeting were in your 2008 November - December The Graybeards magazine. They will also appear on the website, approximately a month after any meeting, as well as in The Graybeards magazine. This will give many who are interested in the actions taken by the Board of Directors and the Membership, not to have to wait for results almost two months after the meetings when they appear in The Graybeards.

I also want to remind you that a call for elections of four (4) Directors will occur this June. I ask that all who are interested in running for these positions, to remember that they are not positions that are for prestige, but require much of your time and ability to make decisions which are not always popular, but necessary for the Good of the Order.

William F. Mac Swain
National President, KWVA/US

Veterans, Members, and Friends...

The Annual Membership Meeting in Norfolk, Virginia was held and I wish to thank all the members who made this meeting a success. There were many who helped put this event on and, of course, without them it would not have succeeded. Those who handled the Hospitality Room did an excellent job, the tours were good, and the opening ceremony at the General McArthur Museum was a great way to kick off the meeting. It was good to have the Korean Community involved and the opening ceremony speaker, Reverend So, from the 25,000 member Korean Presbyterian Church in Seoul gave a very good presentation. I congratulate Warren Wiedhahn and those on his committee for their dedication to satisfy those in attendance. The Banquet was well attended and again Ambassador Lee came through with his presentation as our Honored Guest Speaker. Korean American boys and girls gave a rousing drum concert and adult Korean women danced to the drums, and they were very entertaining. We had many of the Ambassador's Staff with us and we thank him for also hosting the reception before the Banquet.

The Board of Directors along with the membership approved a change of venue for our next Annual Membership Meeting when the decision was made to hold it in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 2009 rather than in San Diego, CA. Regrettably it was discovered there were not enough members in that area to setup and hold a meeting. The Committee will have to work hard to make our 2009 meeting as good, if not better, than this past meeting. The Board and the Membership also approved the holding of the 2010 Annual Membership Meeting in Washington, DC, since that will be the start of the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War. Plans are now in work by a National Committee formed to make this happen. This Committee will be similar to the 50th Commemorative Committee in its operation. The 2011 Annual Membership Meeting was then approved to be held in the Boston, Massachusetts area.

Your Second Vice President Robert Banker represented the KWVA in my place at the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) in Washington, DC on October 16 to update all Veteran Service Organizations (VSO) on NCA operations and issues. Martin J. Goge, a member from Maryland Chapter #142, represented the KWVA at the final meeting of the Veterans Day National Ceremony Committee on October 30 in my place. As your President I represented our Korean War Veterans Association during the Veterans Affairs Veterans Day National Ceremony hosted by the Military Chaplains Association with a breakfast, Memorial presentation of a wreath by Vice President Richard B. Cheney, who was also the Guest Speaker and this was followed by a reception in the afternoon. I was honored to be able to place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with other KWVA members from Chapter #142 and Ceremonies Chairman Thomas McHugh following the Memorial Service. At the same time your First Vice President Jim Ferris represented the KWVA in Delaware with Vice President-Elect Joseph Biden, the current Senator from Delaware. I do hope that everyone took time to take part in Veterans Day activities in their community and to remember those who gave their all to maintain our freedom.

It is amazing how much of a challenge the writing of the President Message is since it must be made ahead of time. I should have mentioned in the September/October Magazine Edition something about the upcoming holidays and my wish that they be joyful for all. I know that you were able to give thanks for living in a free country and being able to celebrate with your family on Thanksgiving Day. Finally I hope you took the opportunity to worship God for the fulfillment of his great plans for you and that you took the opportunity to pray for a better New Year to come. Happy Holidays to all.

William F. Mac Swain
National President, KWVA/US

The National Board of Directors, the Officers, and the Staff, wish for all members, and all Americans, the best of everything this Thanksgiving, 2008.

May all of you—and those dear to you—have a great and peaceful Thanksgiving; let's pray especially for our fighting men and women in harms way and for our veterans everywhere, remembering to be thankful that we live in the greatest nation in the world.

May God bless you, bless our troops engaging the enemy, and bless the United States of America.

Below you can read the annual Thanksgiving Day proclamation from President Bush.

William F. Mac Swain
National President, KWVA/US

Your new administration, after 81 days in operation, can report that we have become a Foreign Corporation in Texas, Virginia and Illinois, and have updated our agents in each of these three states where we have operations. In addition, we have been cleared in Illinois to conduct our fund raiser. This fund raiser, which began on August 20th, will be used to help us fund our Charter and The Graybeards publication, and accumulate emergency repair funds for our National Korean War Monument in Washington, DC.

As President, I have met many dignitaries, both American and Korean. Since we received our Charter; we participated as a recognized Association in the Veterans Affairs Veterans Day Committee for this event in Washington, DC on November 11th. We will have completed our first Annual Membership Meeting in Norfolk, VA by the time you receive this report.

I have been notified that many members did not receive their magazine until the middle of September, even though this edition was placed in the mail on August 20, 2008. This means that it has taken some 25 days for it to reach some of our members. This is a problem which this administration will undertake to correct.

I receive many e-mails and letters asking me what the National Organization does for a Chapter/Department or member. I find that question to be easy to answer for a Chapter or Department.

A Chapter or Department would not exist had there not been a National Organization to bring Korean War veterans together to form Chapters and also later Departments. Those Chapters or Departments asking me that question should recognize that they would have a hard time finding Korean War veterans in their areas to form a group without the database of the National Organization.

It is now easy with the National Database to form a Chapter to meet together, to accomplish the great things they do together, such as building monuments and teaching about the Korean War in schools and at other community associations and clubs.

Chapters would not have been able to volunteer together at the VA as a group to help those veterans who need assistance. All of these things mentioned honor your buddies who did not return as you did. They also help you show your pride in what you accomplished in the name of freedom for a people who were in desperate need of a champion.

Those great monuments and highways named in honor of your service to your country would probably not exist without the Chapters and Departments which worked to have them named. Without Chapters, many Korean veterans would not receive information at meetings on what to do or who to contact when ill or in need of help.

For the At-Large Member, the answer is not quite as easy, except to say that there probably would not be a National Monument to the Korean War veterans if there had not been a National Organization formed to raise money and contact those with the power to make it so. There would be no inclusive magazine dedicated to the Korean War and Korean Service veteran.

Korean Americans and the Korean War Veterans of Korea would not be able to find you to show you their appreciation, or offer trips to return to Korea, if National did not exist to find and give them our members‘ names.

I do not like to use words of others, but in this case I must. “Ask not what National can do for you; ask what you can do to make the National Organization a more recognizable entity, to keep my place in history in front of the American people and as a contact point for South Koreans to show their appreciation.”

So, I believe that the National Organization is necessary and does a lot for Chapters, Departments and the At-Large Korean War veteran.

William F. Mac Swain
National President, KWVA/US

My first remarks are to those who voted in this last election. I appreciate those who voted for me and their confidence that I have the capability to continue the good policies that were set during the last four years of the previous administration. I also appreciate those of you who voted for others. That, of course, is the way democracy operates.

I hope to show you that even though the candidates who some of you supported were not elected, you might become convinced that those who were are dedicated to work for the betterment of the KWVA. I will work to improve upon the successes of the past administration and to revamp those policies that have not been accepted by the membership.

Transition from one administration to another may seem like an easy task, but without the cooperation of the past administration, often times it is a long and tedious job. In this case, Past President Dechert and his staff have been very helpful, including with the change in the Membership Office staff and relocation and the sudden passage of our request to be chartered by Congress.

The financial changeover was made during the first few days after June 25. Thus, we were able to maintain dues deposits and bill paying with no interruption. In fact, dues are now direct deposited after being received at the Membership Office in Charleston, IL. We no longer have to mail checks to be deposited by the Treasurer in another state.

I have requested that each Director, both newly elected and those carried over, inform me in what capacity they would like to be considered to serve the membership, either as a Committee Chairman or on a Committee.

As I prepare this message, I am still receiving requests for assignments. I do not want to fill the positions with individuals who are not interested in improving the operation, but with those who are dedicated to doing so. Therefore, I have decided not to rush the appointment process, because it is more important to obtain Chairmen who are qualified individuals and are ready to tackle any and all problems as they arise. I will keep those already filling the slots until the Board has approved new individuals.

All elected Officers and Directors have been sworn in by Business without a Meeting and took office on June 25, 2008 per the Bylaws.

Obtaining the Charter has now been accomplished. The process of fulfilling the requirements that come with the Charter must be obtained, and processes to accomplish these requirements placed into effect. This also will be a slow process. Other requirements have also come to light, and solutions need to be found for them.

I ran for this office knowing a few of the problems, and I will say that the major problem was unrest by some of the membership. The main problem has been either the misunderstanding of the processes the Board of Directors works with or of how to communicate between individuals. I will be working to solve this problem.

Let’s start with this: if you hear things that you believe might be true—or untrue—please check with a Board Member you trust and try to solve a possible misunderstanding before sending an email to other members, and especially outsiders. The possibility is that any problem can be solved once the facts are learned and explained.

A problem disseminated by e-mail does not solve the problem; it only causes the problem to become larger by added mistakes in answers or untrue statements. True statements are easy to make if the facts are obtained and the other person really listens.

If people refuse to listen, there is no use in arguing to try to convince them.

The Board of Directors will be voting on all of those Committee Chairmen who I, along with the 1st and 2nd Vice Presidents, request to be approved. I hope that each of our members will give the Board of Directors his or her support, and give us the time to become a team for you.

God bless the KWVA and its purpose for veterans of the Korean War era.

William F. Mac Swain
National President, KWVA/US