Military Leadership Statements of Support

Dozens of  flag and general officers, former and retired commissioned and non-commissioned officers and health care providers who care for or have cared for members of our military signed the following letter in support of the Shaheen Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act

VETERANS & MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IN SUPPORT OF THE SHAHEEN AMENDMENT TO THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT

December 9, 2012

CC:
The Honorable Harry Reid, U.S. Senate Majority Leader
The Honorable Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senate Minority Leader
The Honorable John Boehner, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader

Dear Sirs:

We, the undersigned, are flag and general officers, and former and retired commissioned and non-commissioned officers. We write to express our strong support for the Shaheen Amendment to the FY13 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (Section 711 of H.R. 4310 as passed by the Senate) that provides equal health care for servicewomen and military dependents who are survivors of rape and incest by extending the same abortion coverage provided to all other women enrolled in federal health care. We respectfully ask that this provision be included in the final defense authorization bill that will be sent to each chamber for final passage.

It has been our privilege to lead and serve alongside the brave men and women of our armed forces and we believe that they deserve the best medical care that our country can provide. We were therefore greatly disappointed to learn that, by federal statute, the Department of Defense is barred from providing insurance coverage for abortion except where a pregnant woman’s life is endangered. Unlike other current federal restrictions on abortion coverage, the military ban provides no exception for cases of rape and incest. The current policy is unfair and must be changed.

Restoring abortion coverage to our servicewomen and military family members who are survivors of rape and incest would bring the Department of Defense in line with the policy that governs other federal programs, such as Medicaid or the Federal Employee Health Benefit program. At the very least, our military women deserve the same access to care as civilian women who rely on the federal government for their health care. Our servicewomen commit their lives to defending our freedoms; Congress should respect their service and sacrifice and provide them with the same level of health care coverage it provides civilians.

Additionally, claims that military physicians would be forced to provide abortions even if they have a religious or moral objection are absolutely false and, in this circumstance, are misdirected. The Shaheen Amendment is about insurance coverage. Moreover, military policy has long provided conscience protections for those military health care professionals who object to abortion and these protections remain in effect today.

We stand ready to work with you, and other members of Congress, to ensure that the Shaheen Amendment becomes law this year. Our servicewomen deserve nothing less.

Thank you for your dedication and leadership on behalf of the men and women of our armed forces.

Respectfully,

Colin L. Powell, General, USA (Ret.), VA
Ronald R. Blanck, DO, Lieutenant General, MC, USA (Ret.), DE
Robert G. Gard, Jr., Lieutenant General, USA (Ret.), VA
Charles B. Green, MD, MPH, Lieutenant General, USAF (Ret.), TN
Arlen D. Jameson, Lieutenant General, USAF (Ret.), TX
Claudia J. Kennedy, Lieutenant General, USA (Ret.), SC
Harold M. Koenig, MD, Vice Admiral, USN (Ret.), CA
Carol A. Mutter, Lieutenant General, USMC (Ret.), IN
James M. Thompson, Lieutenant General, USA (Ret.), ID
Nancy R. Adams, Major General, USA (Ret.), FL
Donna F. Barbisch, DHA, MPH, Major General, USA (Ret.), Washington, DC
Stephen M. Goldfein, Major General, USAF (Ret.), VA
Marcelite J. Harris, Major General, USAF (Ret.), GA
Dennis J. Laich, Major General, USAR (Ret.), OH
Gale S. Pollock, CRNA, FACHE, FAAN, Major General, USA (Ret.), VA
Alan M. Steinman, MD, Rear Admiral, USPHS/USCG (Ret.), WA
Deborah C. Wheeling, MS, MSN, RN, Major General, ARNG (Ret.), NY
Clara Adams-Ender, RN, MS, FAAN, Brigadier General, USA (Ret.), VA
Julia J. Cleckley, Brigadier General, ARNG (Ret.), VA
Evelyn “Pat” Foote, Brigadier General, USA (Ret.), MD
John Johns, Brigadier General, USA (Ret.), VA
Rabbi Harold L. Robinson, Rear Admiral, CHC, USN (Ret.), MA
Wilma L. Vaught, Brigadier General, USAF (Ret.), VA
Ralph J. Cook, Colonel, USA (Ret.), VA
Elizabeth W. Fleming, Colonel, JA USAR (Ret.), AK
William L. Hauser, Colonel, USA (Ret.), FL
Lawrence Korb, Captain, USNR (Ret.), VA
Lory Manning, Captain, USN (Ret.), VA
Dwayne Oslund, Captain, USN (Ret.), CA
Joellen Oslund, Captain, USNR (Ret.), CA
Michael E. Pheneger, Colonel, USA (Ret.), FL
Katherine Scheirman, MD, Colonel, USAF (Ret.), OK
Glenna L. Tinney, Captain, MSC, USN (Ret.), VA
Sherry de Vries, Lieutenant Colonel, USMC (Ret.), VA
Marilla Cushman, Lieutenant Colonel, USA (Ret.), VA
Grant R. Doty, Lieutenant Colonel, USA (Ret.), MO
Darlene Iskra, Commander, USN (Ret.), WA
Coy A. Flowers, MD, FACOG, Lieutenant Commander (former), MC, USNR, WV
Anuradha K. Bhagwati, Captain (former), USMC, NY
Gregory S. Jacob, Captain (former), USMC, NY
John L. Estrada, 15th SMMC, USMC (Ret.), FL
Joel Jenkins, CSM, USA (Ret.), HI
Cindy McNally, Chief Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret.), VA
Robert McNally, Chief Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret.), VA