Star-Journbal Editor
District 70 Kansas House Republican Donald Dahl served as the honorary chaplain during last week's visit by the American Legion national commander.
Wearing a snappy dress blues uniform, the retired Navy commander offered prayers for the commander in chief and U.S. military forces everywhere.
Before taking the podium at Hillsboro American Legion Post #366, Dahl defended U.S. casualties in the Gulf War, and said the War on Terror was actually WWIII.
"The problem we have right now facing terrorists; a lot of people refer to it as World War III, and I think it is," Dahl said. "Because it is a bad situation all the way around, throughout the whole world."
The Hillsboro post was one of 16 visited by Legion National Commander Paul Morin during last week's three-day tour of Kansas. Dahl applauded Morin's plan to rally support in Washington for more funding for veterans' medical benefits, especially for those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The gold bands on the sleeves of Dahl's uniform attest to his lofty military career. The wings on his chest symbolize the Hillsboro native's role as a pilot in the Vietnam war, and as a flight instructor.
He also was an assistant navigator on the USS Midway aircraft carrier, before going on to special operations, where he earned his parachutist badge.
As a veteran of the widely unpopular Vietnam War in which soldiers weren't treated as heroes, Dahl was glad to hear that Marion County residents gave a fitting welcome home reception Saturday for Army specialist Molly Holub, who was wounded in Iraq.
He said he would like to see better media coverage of the Iraq war, which puts more emphasis on the positive impact the U.S. was having, instead of focusing only on the casualties.
"You have to put this in context," Dahl said. "There have been thousands more Americans killed by drunk drivers than have been killed in Iraq."
According to the Department of Defense, from 2003 through this past Monday, there have been 2,708 U.S. troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The National Traffic Safety Administration reports 50,909 deaths from 2003 through 2005 were alcohol related.
"It's sad when you read about the casualties in Iraq and people coming home maimed, but they can still function and have a good life ahead of them," Dahl said. "There will be a lot more survivors from this war than from other wars."
Dahl added that he was doing what he can in Topeka to make sure these new veterans are not forgotten in Kansas.
"In Kansas we are doing a lot of things to not forget the veterans, especially when you talk about the Gulf War Syndrome," Dahl said. "We've had a lot of leaders in Topeka at the forefront of that really."
