Redeeming Value of KWVA

After reading the various sections of this page of the Korean War Educator—which reports a combination of grumbling over minor issues and legitimate complaints over major issues from the membership, as well as poor leadership at the national level--some might wonder if there is any redeeming value whatsoever to the Korean War Veterans Association. As mentioned in the page introduction, the purpose of this page of the Korean War Educator is to inform the general public—most particularly Korean War veterans, and especially those who are members of the KWVA—about both the positives and the negatives that can be found within the organization.

Probably the most serious negative facing the Korean War Veterans Association today is the fact that, for the most part, the 16,000-plus members of the KWVA are not aware of the true nature of what is transpiring at the national level in recent years. Because of a censored website and a censored newsletter, the membership in general simply does not know that serious flaws exist within the KWVA national leadership. They don’t know about the illegal bylaws change; they don’t know about the "go to hell" remarks coming down from the national; they don’t know that the Graybeards newsletter carried a fraudulent photograph of the national KWVA headquarters—and the list goes on and on.

One of the proofreaders of this page remarked to Lynnita Brown of the Korean War Educator, "After going through this new KWVA page, particularly the Kronenberger letters, I come away with the feeling that, if I were not a member of the KWVA, I would conclude that there is a lot of petty bickering in that screwed-up organization, and that whatever they get, they deserve. I hope that you will give your readers some sense of assurance that the KWVA is okay, but it is not being administered well. Assure them that the small bunch of spoilers at the top are targeted for removal, and that precise remedial action is being proposed."

In the September 1987 issue of the Graybeards magazine, the founder of the Korean War Veterans Association, William Norris of New York, published the "Statement of Principles" upon which the KWVA was founded. It included:

1. To support the ideals this Great Country was founded on;
2. To maintain the dignity and pride of the Korean War veterans who served this country when asked to;
3. To work towards the recognition of those who did not return from the Korean War;
4. To maintain and foster the comradeship between the men and women who served during the Korean War;
5. To perpetuate the memory and reason which required our service during the Korean War.

It is true that the members of the Korean War Veterans Association currently have to contend with poor leadership at the national level, as well as suffer through the turmoil and public embarrassment that results from it. It is true that its censored newsletter is a combination of truth and lie, and as a result, readers must be wary of its contents and ever mindful that there is a possibility that the contents of any given issue could be fact--or could be fiction.

Nevertheless, the members in general have never forsaken the principles upon which Bill Norris originally founded the KWVA in 1986. The Korean War veterans on the KWVA membership roster are American patriots of the highest caliber, working hard at the chapter level to keep Norris’ dream alive. Each understands full well, and wants to Tell America, that -- "Freedom Isn’t Free." Veterans paid its exorbitant price.