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We join with those who mourn the loss of life,  the injuries, and the disruption of lives caused  by the attacks  against Washington,  DC, and  New York, N.Y.    All those effected -- the brave people who helped in rescue efforts, those involved in America's response to terror and in the war with Iraq-- are in our thoughts and prayers.

Cold Warriors can have a certificate on their wall to attest to their service.

The Secretary of Defense has approved a special recognition certificate for members of the Armed Forces and qualified federal government civilians who faithfully served the US during the Cold War era (from September 2, 1945 to December 26, 1991).

Individuals can apply for the certificate either by letter or via the World Wide Web.  In either case, they must certify that their service was honorable and provide supporting documentation by either FAX or mail.  Applications have been accepted since April 5, 1999.

Section 1084 of the Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 1119), which instructed the Secretary of Defense to prepare the certificates, included the following findings:
     (1)     During the period of the Cold War, from the end of World War II until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1999, the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in global military rivalry.
     (2)     This rivalry, potentially the most dangerous military confrontation in the history of mankind, has come to a close without a direct superpower military conflict.
     (3)     Military and civilian personnel of the Department of Defense, personnel in the intelligence community, members of the foreign service, and other officers and employees of the United States performed their duties during the Cold War.
     (4)     Many such personnel performed their duties while isolated from family and friends and served overseas under frequently arduous conditions in order to protect the United States and achieve a lasting piece.
     (5)     The discipline and dedication of those personnel were fundamental to the prevention of a superpower military conflict.

For information on the certificate, a sample letter, or an on-line application, point your browser to http://coldwar.army.mil.  A sample of the certificate is at http://coldwar.army.mil/preview.htm. 

[Webmaster's Note: This article was originally written in April 1999 for the VSAC News and the NCMS Channel Islands Newsletter.  Since then, we've had some problems reaching the US Army site shown above.  If you want to apply to a certificate, see the sample letter at http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/blcoldwarletter.htm]