<p>Everyone please call/contact their Senators to support Senate Bill #S614. If passed, this Bill will award The Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots of WWII. </p>
<p>Pass it on!
[Bill</a> s.614 Honoring the WASP](<a href=“http://wingsacrossamerica.us/bill/]Bill”>WASP Congressional Gold Medal) “Wings Across America” Blog…daily updates on progress.</p>
<p>We have 33 Senators, and we need 34 more!</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>We now need 28 Senators. I just called my NC Senators again this morning…and one is already on board! It only took 5 minutes. I think we owe these women 5 min. of our time. I’m very passionate about this and am making a PLEA to EVERYONE to contact their Senators. Just imagine if every cadet called their nominating source! Our congressional folks LOVE to hear from their constituents!!</p>
<p>Please make the time to call and help honor these true heroes.</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>ACCOMPLISHMENTS:</p>
<p>WASP were the FIRST women in America’s history to fly American military aircraft
WASP voluntarily put their lives ‘on the line’ in an experimental program to prove that women could successfully fly military aircraft
In less than 2 years, WASP flew 60 million miles in every type aircraft in the Army Air Force arsenal–from the fastest fighters to the heaviest bombers
WASP flew every type mission any Army Air Force male pilot flew during World War II, except combat.
WASP were stationed at 120 Army Air Bases across America.
WASP were used as examples to fly B-26s and B-29s to prove to male pilots they were safe to fly.
WASP freed male pilots for combat
WASP are role models for today’s female pilots and astronauts
They forever changed the role of women in aviation </p>
<p>LITTLE KNOWN FACTS:</p>
<p>25,000 applied, 1,830 were accepted into training and only 1,074 earned their silver wings and, together with 28 WAFS, became WASP. </p>
<p>They paid their own way to go into training and, when disbanded, they paid their own way back home. </p>
<p>38 WASP and trainees were killed flying for their Country. They received no recognition, no honors, no benefits, no gold star in the window, and no American flag allowed to cover their coffins. </p>
<p>Classmates & friends took up collections to help pay for burial.
WASP never received the military status they were promised, even though many were sent to Officer’s Training School.
WASP were unceremoniously deactivated in 1944 without benefits and little thanks.
After they were disbanded in 1944, their records were sealed and marked ‘classified’ or ‘secret’ and stored in the archives for over 30 years.
Historians had no access to the records and accomplishments of the WASP…so, the WASP were left out of most official histories of WWII.
They were denied Veteran’s status for 35 years
Their medals and official notification of Veteran’s status came in the mail.
WASP can only be buried at Arlington National Cemetery as ‘enlisted’, not with officer’s honors.
In 1994, an airplane at Lackland AFB was dedicated to the WASP and, in 1999, was repainted in the "Korean conflict’ colors and re-dedicated to a Korean war hero. </p>
<p>Despite General Hap Arnold’s pledge that the Air Force ‘would never forget them’–it did, and so did America. </p>
<p>PLEASE LET’S NOT FORGET THEM FOR ONE MORE DAY!–Help Senate Bill 614!</p>
<p>Okay so that was EASY! BOTH NC Senators are now on board! NC Senator Burr’s name will be appearing on the list shortly. </p>
<p>Thanks to all of you that have already made calls. ‘We the people’ really do carry a lot of weight! :)</p>
<p>I know everyone is busy–so this makes things MUCH easier! Here’s the phone list for EVERY Senator!</p>
<p>If there’s NOT a green check by your Senator’s name, PLEASE CALL THEM AND URGE THEM TO CO-SPONSOR SENATE BILL 614…</p>
<p>I’ll shut up about this now 
</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.wingsacrossamerica.us/bill/senators_phone_list.pdf[/url]”>http://www.wingsacrossamerica.us/bill/senators_phone_list.pdf</a></p>
<p>TO ANY CADETS WHO MIGHT BE READING THIS-- before you do anything else, PLEASE BE VERY AWARE OF THE HATCH ACT. You must “CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM” in the way you might support anything that is political in nature. We would absolutely NOT want any of the Cadets to be in trouble because of their support for this bill. So, with that in mind, here is a quote from the official osc.gov website: Hatch Act for Federal Employees</p>
<p>These federal employees may not-
engage in political activity while:
on duty
in a government office
wearing an official uniform
using a government vehicle
wear partisan political buttons on duty</p>
<p>(ALSO, BEWARE OF EMAIL ADDRESSES ENDING IN .GOV OR .MIL --COULD BE A PROBLEM FOR ANY EMAIL SOLICITATIONS.)</p>
<p>BTW, if you’re all wondering what this has to do with USAFA…here ya go:</p>
<p>[Special</a> Edition–Wings Across America Newsletter March, 2009](<a href=“Special Edition--Wings Across America Newsletter March, 2009”>Special Edition--Wings Across America Newsletter March, 2009) </p>
<p>That’s one USAFA grad we can all be proud of! :)</p>
<p>Just wanted to update on the WASP Bill! </p>
<p>This is SO exciting!!! There are now MORE than the required 2/3 Senate Co-sponsors on Senate Bill 614! Thank you to ALL who contacted their Senator! Currently there are 68 Senators in support!–one more than actually needed for the 2/3 majority! Of course it would be wonderful to have 100% of the Senators on board, but the focus NOW is the HOUSE.</p>
<p>The Bill in the House is HR 2014 and currently there are 188 co-sponsors and we need 102 more! That sounds like a LOT but remember there are a total of 435 Representatives in the House! </p>
<p>SO—the new plea…CHECK THIS LIST: [Bill</a> s.614 Honoring the WASP with a Congressional Gold Medal](<a href=“WASP Congressional Gold Medal”>WASP Congressional Gold Medal) …if you DO NOT see your House Rep. on there, please contact them!! </p>
<p>If you are not sure of your Representatives info, you can go here: [Contacting</a> the Congress](<a href=“http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/]Contacting”>http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/) </p>
<p>Remember the big picture here. “OUR” WASP were civilian girls, who volunteered their service! They did what was thought of as a “man’s” job! They did it WELL. They did it with PRIDE. They did it for their country and their love of flying. Then they quietly all went home–at their own expense, with little to no thanks. They were/are an amazing group of gals and we owe this to them!</p>
<p>Please contact your Representative and ask them to support HR 2014. </p>
<p>To hear and see these amazing women–Watch this: [The</a> Fly Girls of WWII](<a href=“http://■■■■■■/Rr2GS]The”>http://■■■■■■/Rr2GS)</p>
<p>WASP WILL BE GETTING THE GOLD! </p>
<p>[Unsung</a> heroes of World War II finally get their due - CNN.com](<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/22/woman.pilots/index.html]Unsung”>Unsung World War II heroes finally get their due - CNN.com) </p>
<p>What a beautiful thought this Memorial Day Weekend.</p>
<p>Tomorrow, 1 July 2009, President Barack Obama will sign the WASP Bill. </p>
<p>Senate Bill 614 will become history–the Bill to Award the Women Airforce Service Pilots with the Congressional Gold Medal. Among those there to witness the historical moment will be 1996 USAFA Grad and Former Thunderbird Pilot, Major Nicole Malachowski.</p>
<p>What a wonderful tribute to America’s first “flygirls”. :)</p>