Dear Mr./Madam Senator, Attached are some exerts from an AP news article dated 26 Feb 1999. As an 18-year military veteran I found the article enlightening. As I write this letter while deployed (again) to Saudi Arabia, I must admit that I am shocked, and appalled at your recent vote against the measly 4.8 percent pay raise for military members. I invite you to peruse the statements recorded by the AP as well as my response that follows. AP NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Senate Votes To Boost Military Pay By TOM RAUM, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to give the nation's military the biggest benefits increase since the early 1980s, including an across-the-board 4.8 percent pay increase with further boosts in future years. The pay raise for the nation's 1.4 million active-duty military is half a percentage point more generous than one proposed earlier this month by President Clinton. It was approved 91-8. Republican leaders said they wanted the first Senate bill passed this year to telegraph support for U.S. troops, particularly in light of a possible new deployment to Kosovo - even if it wasn't known exactly how the package would be financed. "This is the right way to begin this year," said Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss. "It comes at a time when we're asking more and more of our military with less and less. It would be insanity for us not to do this bill, and do it now." The pay increase, which would take effect next Jan. 1 for the nation's 1.4 million active-duty military, is about half a percentage point higher than a military pay increase President Clinton proposed in the fiscal 2000 budget he submitted earlier this month. Voting no on the final bill were five Democrats and three Republicans: The legislation would also: -Provide a special subsistence bonus of $180 per month for needy military families who are forced to rely on food stamps. Between 8,000 and 16,000 U.S. military service members are receiving food stamps. Supporters cited low morale of troops, the difficulty the military has meeting recruitment goals and a disparity of pay between the military and civilian work force as reasons for the benefits package. Mr. Madam senator, 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 voter, 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 neglected the basic freedoms most Americans take for granted? 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 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 hand out! 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. /Madam senator, 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 19 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 hand made 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 need 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 senators eligibility and retirement plan you wouldn't know where I was coming from. It's 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 the US 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./ Madam senators you obviously have lost touch with your constituents and have decided to throw in the political towels 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. /MADDAM SENATOR TO GIVE IT THE WIDEST DISSEMINATION POSSIBLE. SHARE IT WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY, EVEN NEWSPAPERS. IN ALL FAIRNESS TO SENATOR MADDAM SENATOR AND HIS FELLOW SENATORS I WILL ALSO 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 peace keeping 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