Home Page : News: News : Previous News Last Updated August 16, 2005 Earthquake's Final Flight - Prints by Jeff Bass Now Available New Video Online: French Award Ceremony for CAT Pilots Father Bouchard to return to the US March 11, 2005 from Western Borneo which is now called Kalimantan. Father Bouchard started working in Western Borneo in September 1977. For the past nine years, he has been assigned to a mission area of 23 villages. It takes him about 2 months to visit all of the villages. He visits 13 villages by outboard motor and the ten other by motorcycle or on foot. While he loves his work, his age ( 76 this month) and a two year back problem is making it more and more difficult to visit the villages of his parish. He has decided to go back permanently to the USA. He will send his new address when he gets his assignment in the United States. Submitted March 30, 2005 by Mac Thompson Remains identified as those of Creswell spy pilot - Robert Snoddy Pentagon Determines That Remains Found in China Are US Spy Pilot's March 25, 2005 Civil
Service Credit submitted by Senator Reid
The
bill on Civil Service Credit was submitted by Senator Reid (D) NV on Thursday
April 29th. The number is S.2367. You can click on http://thomas.loc.gov
insert the number & type in 'air america', click 'search' and scroll down to
S.2367. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Government
Affairs. This is a crucial time and anyone interested in the outcome should
think this over carefully. This is NOT a political undertaking. It entails
past employees of a US Government proprietary company seeking
redress through their elected congressional representatives to right a past
omission in the government code. All must get off our collective duffs and
ask out respective Senators by written letter, E-mail, telephone, or in person
to support S.2367. A companion bill will soon be introduced in the House of
Representatives and a further notice will be given at that time so you can additionally
contact your representative. The present congress adjourns in late summer
and passage should be completed in this session. Submitted by Jesse Walton and Jack Knotts 05/04/2004 STAMP EFFORT CAMPAIGN, 2004 In
the past two years we have received 220 completed Stamp Effort forms. The
CSAC has received them along with some supplemental updates to the
presentation.
The Stamp is still under consideration. However, it is time to have a bigger
impact on the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee. Due to the nature of their
procedures, the best way to do this is with a high volume of filled out Stamp
Effort forms. These are available one the Stamp Effort page of our web site. We
hope to provide the CSAC with at least 2000 requests in a few weeks time.
Therefore we need all members to chip in, even if they are submitting a
second or third request. Feel free to contact any relatives, kindred
organizations, your divorce attorney, or even the town crier. If
you need any back up, feel free to contact Jeff Blanchford at the UBS Email
address: [email protected]
Cheers,
Jeff Blanchford Research Assistance Sought I am currently compiling a detailed order of battle of the Lao armed forces (Royalist Army, Royalist Air Force, Neutralists, irregulars, Thai) for publication late in 2004. Would like to hear from any members who have shoulder insignia, wings (including Lao pilots wings) or qualification certificates (airborne qualification, for example) for any and all of these units down to the battalion level. Also, any period photographs showing these insignia being worn. Contributors will get full photo credit and a copy of the book. Please contact Ken Conboy, 4700 Burley Hills Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45243. email: [email protected] Veteran Status Information Please click here for additional information required to apply for this status. The group Application for veteran service has been accepted for review. A notice has been placed in the Federal Register. You can access the notice at this web site: Please click here for a copy of the Amended Notice posted to the Federal Register The title is restricted more than desired, but all that could be supported with the evidence available. The notice grants 60 days to receive documents as evidence to support the claims for veteran service eligibility. Any person, including former employees, whether U.S. Citizen or foreign national, who has evidence to support the claim that CAT/Air America employees, whether foreign or U.S. Citizens, supported the United States Military between 1950 and 1976 are encouraged to do so before the 60 day period elapses. The documents may be in the form of old schedules, or eye witness accounts on notarized letters. The address is on the notice. Information has been received to strongly indicate that veteran service and civil service retirement are two separate issues and acceptance of one would not effect the other. Further information can be obtained through Allen Cates at <[email protected]> Submitted 1/19/2004 Civil Service Retirement Benefits Information
"We
are pleased to announce that several former AAM/AACL/CAT/SAT employees
have been contacting members of Congress seeking legislation that would
provide civil service retirement benefits for their employment with these companies.
This is based on the fact that the corporations were owned by the U.S.
Government and historically U.S. citizen employees of government owned
corporations have been considered to be Federal employees for retirement
purposes. The Board of
Directors of the Association is cooperating in this effort since it would
be beneficial to many of our members, including the surviving spouses of
deceased employees. Retirement
benefits are payable to
those persons who have five years credited service, thus benefits would be
payable only to those employees who had five years service with the
companies or who have a combined total of five years service including
employment with other Federal agencies. In addition under some
circumstances periods of military service may be added in computing
benefits.
We have been advised by the office of Senator Harry Reid of Nevada
that he may introduce legislation in this respect and we have received
encouraging responses from other members of Congress. Any legislative
action will not take place until after Congress reconvenes next year.
Senator Reid will need support from other Senators and representatives so
it will be helpful if our members who are interested will write to their
own members of Congress
and seek their support. In
our next issue we will provide more information on this matter along with
sample letters and other documents that can be used.
If you are interested in pursuing this immediately please contact
Jesse Walton at 1083 North Collier Blvd. #215, Marco Island, FL 34145,
telephone 239-642-5324, or e-mail Jesse at [email protected].
We have recently published information on our web site about a
similar effort by former employees who are seeking veterans status for
flight crew members and aviation ground support personnel of CAT,Inc. and
AAM. An application has been
filed with the concerned USAF office that handles such matters.
The Association is also cooperating with this effort and our web
site furnishes information on how support may be provided for this."
(PLEASE NOTE: This does not address the question of whether you can have both civil service credit and veterans status and I suggest we don't try to get into that for now as it is rather complicated. The above notice lets members know both efforts are being made and lets them know they can support one or both. I think it is better for now to say Senator Reid 'may' introduce legislation even though it is fairly certain he will do so)The film, Flying Men, Flying Machines, is now available online in its entirety in streaming formats. Click on the link above to watch this film about the men and women who served with Air America in Southeast Asia.
CIA Citations, Commemorative Medallion, and Postal Cachet Order Copies of Citations, Medallions, and Postal Cachets You can now view CAT/Air America Oral History Interviews online on the following web page: CAT/Air America Oral History Project. In addition to information about online transcripts and ongoing interviews, you can also find out how you can participate in this project. CAT/Air America employees and their family members are all welcome to participate in this project. In addition to being online as part of the Virtual Archive at TTU, copies of interviews will also be made available at UTD. We hope you will participate in this project to preserve and make available the individual and collective history of Civil Air Transport and Air America through the voices of those who were there. Thank you.
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