> From: LESLIE ZYZDA [SMTP:lzyzda@yahoo.com] 
> Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 1999 11:39 AM 
> To:   
> Subject:      MSGT's Letter to his Senator 
> 
> 
> > >Wow, excellent memo...quite impressive.   Any of you registered voters 
> in these states? 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > These are the guys that voted against a military payraise of 4.8%.  
> > > Read the Master Sergeant's letter below.  
> > > 
> > >                --- NAYs 11--- 
> > >    Bayh (IN)       Graham (FL)     Robb (VA) 
> > >    Boxer (CA)      Harkin (IA)     Voinovich (OH) 
> > >    Feingold (WI)   Kohl (WI)       Wellstone (MN) 
> > >    Fitzgerald (IL)                 McCain (AZ) 
> 
> > > (This guy is running for President) 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Good response by Senior NCO on Senator's vote 
> > against pay-raise. 
> > > 
> > > -----Original Message----- 
> > > 
> > > Mr. Voinovich, Unless you are planning on this 
> > being your last term in the 
> > > Senate, I cannot for the life of me figure out why 
> > you would attempt to 
> > > undermine a much deserved although paltry 4.8 
> > percent pay raise to military 
> > > men and women that make sacrifices that you cannot 
> > even comprehend!  As a registered Republican voter, born and reared in 
> > the Buckeye state, I have a few questions I would like to ask you. 
> > > 
> > > 1) When was the last time you spent months on end 
> > in some God-forsaken country, separated from family and friends? 
> > > 2) Has your service to the nation ever required 
> > you to go beyond 100 days without a real shower? 
> > > 3) Has any of your Senate duties required you to 
> > lie awake at night in a tent with a dozen other sweating Senators, 
> > gagging at the wretched smell of oil well fires, and listening to 
> > desert winds beat your  tent into submission? 
> > > 4) Have you ever been denied the basic freedoms 
> > most Americans take for granted? 
> > > 5) Have you ever forgotten what a real 
> > cheeseburger tastes like? 
> > > 
> > > You are so quick to try and squash a pay raise 
> > that would still leave a 
> > > large portion of military families below the 
> > poverty level in our nation. 
> > > Please remind me again of the last time you voted 
> > and lobbied against a pay 
> > > raise for yourself and fellow Senators? Have you 
> > ever refused a pay increase 
> > > to help balance the budget? I dare you to compare 
> > the percentage of pay 
> > > raises voted by Senators for Senators since my 
> > career began in 1981!  The AP 
> > > article stated that between 8,000 and 16,000 
> > military families are on food 
> > > stamps. Even though I believe this to be a very 
> > conservative estimate, it is 
> > > not a shame for hard working Americans to get much 
> > needed assistance.  The 
> > > real shame is that thousands and thousands of 
> > military families are even eligible for food stamps, but are too proud 
> to 
> > accept a handout!  The majority of our military families require both 
> > parents to work, while the 
> > > military member works an additional part-time job 
> > just to make ends meet. 
> > > 
> > > I anxiously await the reunification with my family 
> > in mid March.  The operations tempo and family separations are 
> > something I don't expect you to 
> > > understand without experiencing it first hand. 
> > However, with your political 
> > > pull I'm sure you could arrange to return to Saudi 
> > with me this November. 
> > > The rotation in November will make the third time 
> > in two years I've left my 
> > > family to proudly support the country that I love. 
> > Yes, Mr. Voinovich, we could spend Thanksgiving 
> > and Christmas together enjoying meals hard to 
> > > identify by the appearance and taste. You could 
> > help me write a letter to my 
> > > wife on our 19th anniversary in January. Possibly 
> > you could bring one of 
> > > your speechwriters and assist me with a letter to 
> > my twins explaining why 
> > > dad had to miss yet another birthday, explaining 
> > it's for the good of our 
> > > country.  Before we go home Valentine's Day will 
> > roll around and by now, 
> > > maybe even you will be missing your family. I 
> > could help you make that 
> > > handmade card expressing your longing to be with 
> > them again. After all, I've 
> > > had plenty of practice and I'm sure we could come 
> > up with something 
> > > appropriate.  Should I reserve you a cot? Tent 
> > space can be a real premium 
> > > during the holidays so you may want to make your 
> > reservations early.  I'm 
> > > sure I can round up an extra flak vest and helmet 
> > for you. Even better yet, 
> > > you can borrow my friend Billy Marshall's gear. He 
> > won't be needing it; 
> > > however, he would sure like to have his left hand 
> > and leg back that he lost 
> > > in an explosion while deployed over here. Look on 
> > the bright side, you will 
> > > get an extra $3.50 per day, while it may not be 
> > what you're used to, it adds 
> > > up after 120 days!  I have a feeling that you 
> > would re-think your vote after 
> > > our vacation together. As I near the 20 year mark 
> > and become eligible for 
> > > retirement, I could speak awhile on the minimum of 
> > 20 years required to 
> > > receive 40-50 percent of BASE pay for retirement. 
> > But then again with a 
> > > Senator'seligibility and retirement plan you 
> > wouldn't know where I was 
> > > coming from.  Its political decisions like your 
> > recent voting record that 
> > > drive me toward retirement and the pursuit of 
> > other areas of interest. 
> > > 
> > > With the thought of returning to Ohio as a 
> > civilian, there is one thing that 
> > > I will not throw the towel in on. My family and I 
> > will continue to vote our 
> > > beliefs and convictions for the direction of our 
> > country. 
> > > 
> > > Mr. Voinovich, you obviously have lost touch with 
> > your constituents and have 
> > > decided to throw in the political towel yourself. 
> > I have stood on the simple 
> > > leadership philosophy, "A LEADER KNOWS THE WAY, 
> > GOES THE WAY, AND SHOWS THE WAY!"  
> > You obviously do not know the way since 
> > you've never been there 
> > > yourself. I do not see you volunteering to go any 
> > time soon, and you will 
> > > never show the way to deficit reduction when 
> > voting down a deserving 
> > > military raise and heaping bountiful blessings 
> > upon yourself. 
> > > 
> > > I INVITE ALL PARTIES RECEIVING A COPY OF THIS 
> > LETTER TO MR. VOINOVICH TO 
> > > GIVE IT THE WIDEST DISSEMINATION POSSIBLE. SHARE 
> > IT WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY, 
> > > EVEN NEWSPAPERS. IN ALL FAIRNESS TO SENATOR 
> > VOINOVICH AND HIS FELLOW 
> > > SENATORS, I WILL FORWARD ANY RESPONSE I RECEIVE IN 
> > THEIR DEFENSE.  
> 
> > In closing I invite those of you with family and 
> > friends serving in the 
> > > military to remember the eight Senators voting NO. 
> > Remember them when our 
> > > brave men and women celebrate holidays away from 
> > their loved ones. Remember 
> > > our Senators when you hear of the growing 
> > peacekeeping missions springing up 
> > > around the world. But above all else, remember our 
> > Senators when you go to the polls and vote! 
> > > 
> > > Proud to Serve, 
> > MSgt Rocky Dunlap Chief, EOD 
> > (Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight) 
> > Eskan Village, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia