Resolution Aimed At Helping Veterans Receive Their Recognition Passed By Milwaukee County Board

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February 3, 2011 - Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee County Supervisor Joseph Rice today announced the approval of a resolution he introduced to seek a “fast-track” process for determining and presenting military honors for World War II and other aging veterans by the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. The resolution was offered at the request of Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter of the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight, a veteran’s organization that flies WWII veterans to Washington D.C. to visit their memorial.

“In light of the fact that nearly 900 WWII veterans die daily, many of them deserving of honors, we should be doing everything we can to expedite honors and show our gratitude for these veterans’ contributions,” said Supervisor Rice.

Representatives of Stars and Stripes Honor Flight testified before the County’s Health and Human Needs Committee about the delays veterans have experienced and cited the struggle of World War II veteran Orville Lemke. Mr. Lemke spent the last eight years of his life seeking the records that entitled him to a Purple Heart. He died on Christmas Eve in 2010 while federal officials still had not located the records.

“We want to avoid future cases like Orville Lemke by bringing to the attention of our federal officials the need to take more prompt action on these requests,” said Stars & Stripes Honor Flight representative Dan Pelchen.

The county resolution aims to aid the effort of preventing delays in determining military recognition for veterans of World War II and other veterans of advanced age or declining health, so that the awards may be presented directly to the honored recipient rather than posthumously.

“Receiving a Purple Heart or other honor recognition is a very significant moment in a life of a veteran and it ought not be compromised by bureaucratic delays,” said Rice.