The opinions expressed on the Rants and Raves of Mac McIntyre are solely those of its author and are shared for the purpose of encouraging dialogue about life and issues in DeKalb County, Illinois.

Wednesday December 21, 2005

 

Integrity Demands Truth

Mayoral candidate Frank Van Buer's integrity has been called into question in a last minute letter to the editor in the Daily Chronicle. The letter rebukes Van Buer's claim to be a Korean War Veteran. The Chronicle allowed Van Buer to respond to the letter and interviewed a retired official of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs who rushed to Van Buer's defense.

"Mr. Van Buer was a Korean war veteran. Period," said Jerry Taylor, who retired five years ago after working as a service officer for nearly two decades. "He met federal standards."

On his website, Van Buer makes the following statement:

I was proud to serve my country in the U.S. Air Force from 1953 to 1957, and I received an honorable discharge. According to the Korean War Veterans Association, I am entitled to, and proud to bear, the label of Korean War Veteran.

According to the letter signed by Thomas Carey, Amvets post commander; Harold Overton, American Legion post commander; and Paul Kallembach, Veterans of Foreign Wars post commander:

In order to try to seek clarification on this issue, several veterans attended the final mayoral debate at Oak Crest DeKalb Area Retirement Center on Wednesday evening. Our question was not addressed during the general debate, but Paul Kallembach, commander of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post, did have the chance to speak with Mr. Van Buer after the event.

Commander Kallembach approached Mr. Van Buer and shook his hand, thanking him for his years of service to our country. He then asked Mr. Van Buer if he was a Korean War veteran, as his literature states, or a Korean War era veteran. Mr. Van Buer did not answer directly, but rather asked why Commander Kallembach would argue about "semantics." Mr. Van Buer became very angry and defensive.

We would like to be clear about this. This is not an issue of semantics. A man of integrity should not say that he is a Korean War veteran when he is not. Mr. Van Buer eventually calmed down and admitted that he is not a Korean War veteran, but said that his GI bill fell under that classification. Mr. Van Buer served his country for four years, something that is admirable and brave and appreciated by all of us who have put our lives on the line to defend freedom. But he did not see combat in Korea, and he is not a Korean War vet. And he should not pretend to be.

Technically speaking, Van Buer is a Korean War veteran as defined by who receives Korean War benefits. But in truth he did not serve in the Korean War. As a veteran, however, he knows that there is an unwritten code of honor among fellow veterans to not claim to be a war veteran unless you served directly in that war. The status of War Veteran is sacred among those who experienced and continue to experience the tragedies of war for years after their tour of duty. It is also an affront to the survivors of war veterans who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Van Buer's response was ill-advised. He should have apologized to all War Veterans. For him to claim the technical title, supported by a government who turns it back on real war veterans speaks poorly for one who is running an integrity campaign.

Mac McIntyre
 

 

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