N001374
Sunday, January 06, 2002 11:29 PM
Is $1.5 million in line with military death benefits
I wish to provide a comment on the proposed level of
compensation for victims of Osama bin Laden's attacks
on Americans.
On January 4, 2002, a Green Beret serving in
Afghanistan was killed by forces supporting Osama bin
Laden. In 2000, sailors aboard the USS Cole were
murdered by supporters of bin Laden. In 1993, bin
Laden sponsored the attack on U.S. military forces in
Mogadishu.
I'm wondering about the total compensation package for
the families of those military members. As a veteran,
I know it did not nearly approach the average $1.5
million, tax-free, currently extended by the federal
government to families of victims of the September 11
attacks, in addition to any insurance, pension and
charity they may receive. The maximum amount for
Servicemembers Group Life Insurance is $200,000. Even
the families of those who earn the Medal of Honor
receive far less than $1.5 million. I wonder now
whether this compensation package will be offered to
the survivors of military members killed at the
Pentagon on September 11, even though military members
surrender their right to sue for injury incurred during
active duty.
It seems to me that those who serve and sacrifice for
the nation deserve the greatest rememberance. In
establishing a level of compensation, I would recommend
that the government apply to WTC victims the same
standard applied to members of our Armed Forces. If
anyone doubts that servicemembers endure substantial
pain and suffering in combat, they need only view the
movie "Black Hawk Down" to remove such doubt. Remember
that the dying servicemembers in Mogadishu or aboard
the USS Cole never had a chance to phone home to say
goodbye. Maybe we should consider the value of their
sacrifice, their bravery, their honor to this country
before we try to assess the value of the pain and
suffering of an innocent bystander. Do we place a
greater value on a victim of circumstances than we do
the brave servicemembers who intentionally put
themselves in harm's way to preserve our peace, our
freedom and our nation? To do so would indeed be, to
quote one of the WTC widows, "a sick joke."
Individual Comment
Millfield, OH