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Dale Reno: Or do you just want to start talking to him. Oh just start do it then I... Barbara Beel: Good morning everybody. I'm Barbara Beel and this is

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the WKEN Open Mic Program Today we have two guests. We have the National Commander of the American Legion,

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Mr. Dale Reno. Reno, excuse me. I'm sorry. And the Delaware Commander, Charles Snyder.

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Welcome to the program, gentlemen. Dale Reno: Thank you very much. Charles Snyder: Thank you. Barbara Beel: Let's begin with you, Mr. Reno. You had a press conference last night.

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Let's talk a little bit about that. What did you speak about? Dale Reno: Well, what we always try and tell people whenever we go into a

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different state is the real purpose of the American Legion. We're 67 years old. Our prime purpose is

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still the same as it was 67 years ago. We look out for the veteran, his widow, and his orphan. Right now that deals

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closely with the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act and the administration's FY 87 budget because of cuts in the Veterans Administration,

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which will affect not only veterans but all citizens. Barbara Beel: Leading right into that, let's talk about Gramm-Rudman.

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What the proposed cuts? Dale Reno: Even the senators and congressmen can't tell you that the proposed cuts as they are,

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except that it's on a percentage basis and they're using 4.3%. We're very concerned with

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the Veterans Administration budget because those cuts are going to affect healthcare. And that is our our main concern.

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There's 28 million veterans in the United States, but only about 10% of them use the VA facilities.

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However, in Delaware here you have about 30 million dollars a year, close to 31 million, coming into Delaware from

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the Veterans Administration. I didn't take time to multiply it out, but 4.3% codon, that is going to be quite a reduction to

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the income to the state of Delaware. And even though they may cut the healthcare costs down and even do away with the Veterans Administration,

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that does not do away with that veteran out there who needs the help. So somebody's going to pay for it. But if it does not

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come from the Veterans Administration, then it'll have to come from the state of Delaware or the county or the city in the form of

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higher taxes for individuals. Barbara Beel: Veterans are guaranteed these rights, is that not correct? Dale Reno: Well, they're not really...

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Barbara Beel: Healthcare, benefits... Dale Reno: They 're not really guaranteed. Certain promises were made by Congress. When the individual

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went into the service during an act of war or hostilities. And they were promised certain rights, certain benefits.

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And that's held up by 1983 Supreme Court ruling. So they are a privileged class of United States citizens.

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And now Congress, in our opinion, trying to break those promises. And we don't believe that's right. And we don't think the people

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of the United States believe that is right either. Barbara Beel: What is your step next? What are you doing besides lobbying intensely?

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Dale Reno: We're doing a lot of lobbying. Our main purpose, and this is why we appreciate you having us on, is to get the word out to

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the citizens of every state and how those effects are going to, what bearing they're going to have

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on the individual states. Because the more that people know, the more concern I think we'll have for the veteran.

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It's a tough battle, it's an uphill battle, but it's not unique to this year. The American Legion in 67 years we've,

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we've always had to quote, fight unquote, Congress. Our fight is not with the Veterans Administration.

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Our fight is with Congress and they're the ones that put the money up. Barbara Beel: You mentioned a figure and you said only about 10 million people

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use the VA hospitals? Dale Reno: There is 28 million veterans and roughly 10 percent. Barbara Beel: 10 percent, why is it so low? Dale Reno: 10 percent, yes.

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Barbara Beel: Are they just healthy people or they go elsewhere? Dale Reno: Yes. well what we found is that the 10 percent that use the veterans health

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facilities are the oldest, the sickest, and the poorest. The other veterans, the Veterans Administration was never

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set up to take care of all veterans. That would be an impossibility. Nor is every veteran going to use it because they have their own facilities,

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they have money, they have retirement. But there are those individuals who do not have that. And that's roughly 10 percent.

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Those are Veterans Administration figures plus the American Legion figures That is roughly 10 percent. Barbara Beel: What is the average age

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of a United States veteran? Dale Reno: I'm not sure I could give you an average age. They're, out of the 28 million you have

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World War Two veterans, a few World War One veterans who are now in their 90s. The World War Two veteran is

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now 65 to 70 years old. The Korean veteran is now reaching between 55 and 60. Then your Vietnam veteran who

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was probably 40 years old now. So it varies with the era that you're talking about. Barbara Beel: Aside from Gramm-Rudman,

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what are your major concerns? Dale Reno: Well, our major concerns, of course, putting it on a more realistic one-on-one hand-to-hand basis

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will be the community service that the American Legion Post in the individual community, what they provide for that community.

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Yesterday, we're privileged to go Charles Snyder: Post 14. Dale Reno: No, Post 64. Dale Reno: In Sparta. Charles Snyder: No, that was the fire department. Dale Reno: The fire department where they have

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an ambulance that the American Legion has and they have last year I saw their log, 28 thousand miles, they drove.

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That's quite a community service to any community. And that's all sponsored by the American Legion.

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November 11th, 1924 they had their first ambulance. We think that's something that the public should be aware.

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Barbara Beel: I didn't realize that. That is amazing. Dale Reno: Close to home too. Barbara Beel: Yes, it is. Barbara Beel: I am embarrassed [laughing]. How about the Agent Orange problem

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concerning Vietnam vets, the defoliant, what is the status with that? Has it been settled, is

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there arguments still going on? Dale Reno: There's still arguments going on. It has not been settled yet, but the government has

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been doing surveys on it and conducting studies. The American Legion did not feel that the government was

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reacting with or acting in quick enough response. So in conjunction with the Columbia University and two doctors,

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the American Legion-Columbia University study has been made. It is a five-part study. Two parts have already come out. Agent Orange is only one part.

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We interviewed over seven thousand Vietnam veterans, which is a much better perspective of what has happened and what is happening then the

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500 that the government used. There's still a lot of work to be done in that. The American Legions' position is that if

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medical evidence supports that there has been damage done by defoliants, Agent Orange, than the government has a responsibility.

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But, their position also is that should be proven. In other words, we get into a little hairy area

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there of whether it can be proven or not. And yet the American Legion is wise enough to know that you can't blanket something like that.

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Because actually we've been using defoliants in the United States for years, farmers and then using it and I happen to

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live on a farm and we've been using defoliants for weed killers along fence rows since 1946. So it's, a very fine area.

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They're certainly not an area that can be determined and can be borne clear out by individuals who do not have

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the background of medical knowledge. So this is why we went with the doctors at Columbia University. And two of those studies have been released.

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And then three more. The problem we have with those, and it's not a real problem, but when we worked with the doctors

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at Columbia University, before any of their material can be published it has to go before the American Journal of Medicine

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and be published so that there is agreement on it and that it's purely tested. So we think we're doing a good job. And the Veterans Administration

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is looking very closely at the reports have already come out. So we are doing something on it. Barbara Beel: Correct me if I'm mistaken,

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but it seems as though the Vietnam veteran has more of a problem than any of the other wars' veterans.

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From the First World War, did you see any specific problems that needed your attention? Dale Reno: Well yes,

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but I think you have to realize too, that probably the reason that you get to that perception like that is because of better news media

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coverage such as you have. For instance, in World War Two we had battle fatigue. In the Korean War,

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they had the battle fatigue. In World War One, they had the gassing and this. After Vietnam, he had PTS, post-traumatic syndrome. Actually they're basically

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all about the same thing. But it's simply a matter of better news coverage and more interest in it now. I think the problems

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are very much alike after each war. But it's just now that you can get more news coverage and more people know about it. So

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I don't think it's a big, shocking change from one war to another. Barbara Beel: Let me ask you this, Vietnam really was not a war, nor was Korea.

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How does the American Legion feel about that? Should war be declared before American troops are sent over? Or should we become involved in

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these skirmishes without war being declared? Dale Reno: American Legion doesn't have a position on that other than the fact that

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the American Legion does not promote, nor do we ever like to see war. But if the government calls, and the government is made up of

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those individuals in Congress who represent us, then the American Legion feels that every individual has an obligation

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to support that government. If it means going to war, it means going to war. Barbara Beel: I think that a lot of people have

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a problem with the fact that war was never declared. And it would seem illegal to me and others, that we have our boys and men

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fighting over there, wherever there is, without it actually being declared. Dale Reno: A war was never declared in Granada either. A war was never declared in

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Beirut where we lost 23 Marines either. Where do you draw the line? That would that would be our question. Barbara Beel: That is a good question too.

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Okay. Let me ask you this. There have been a lot of articles recently about Veterans Administration Hospitals. You read about stories of abuse against

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the patients on the part of the employees, health care is sorely lacking. Is there any truth to that? Have you seen that in any of the hospitals?

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Dale Reno: No. I haven't seen any of it but I don't think you can limit that to veterans hospitals.

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You can also put that in military hospitals. You can put that in private hospitals. In fact, just read an article on nursing homes in some,

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I forget the name of the state now where they're having a big investigation. There's always a chance in, in a hospital when you're dealing with

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an individual who is ill or has broken body, that that individual can fall, I've read of people falling out of bed at home,

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but that doesn't come up very often. I don't think that's the case at all. I think the Veterans Administration especially, and it's been proven,

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is one of the, if not the leader, in medical care facilities and in the way they handle their patients. We know that it can be done

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more economically than the private section and more efficiently as far as manpower. So I think that

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I don't see that as a problem at all. Barbara Beel: Back to budget cuts. Does the American Legion support a budget cut

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in the defense budget? Dale Reno: Okay. Let me explain how we support any budget cuts.

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We believe that if there are to be budget cuts, it must be borne by all Americans. We the American Legion would

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support an across-the-board cut. And I'm talking about Veterans Administration, I'm talking about Social Security,

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I'm talking about defense. All agencies of government. If we're going to have a budget cut, cut across the board.

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We're very concerned about fiscal restraint, but at same time, we don't want the largest portion of it to come to those veterans

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who need it the most. Across-the-board cut, fine, but not pick and choose. Barbara Beel: What are some of the other things

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that the American Legion deals with the most? Dale Reno: The most. Probably the most are our programs. And we have probably

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the finest youth programs of any organization. We sponsor oratorical contest throughout the nation.

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We have a first prize of sixteen thousand dollar scholarship to the winners. And our winners are great. We sponsor also American Legion baseball.

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You might be interested to know that 54 percent of all the Major League Baseball players got their start in American Legion baseball.

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We're the only organization that is honored at World Series and also at Cooperstown Hall of Fame. So we know that program is working.

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We're the second largest sponsor of Boy Scout troops in the United States. That's just a portion of what we do. Barbara Beel: With the oratorical contest

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I believe the finals are coming up very shortly, is that correct? Dale Reno: The national finals will be in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

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I'm not sure when... this month. Yes. 18th. April 18th. Barbara Beel: Mr. Snyder, let me go to you. How did Delaware fair

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as a state? Charles Snyder: We do have a young student and a young student has won the Delaware oratorical contest.

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Also a scholarship from Western College for $12 thousand for a four-year scholarship. And he will be going on to

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the regional contest. From there, if he wins, he will continue on to sectional and into national contests. Barbara Beel: And who is that?

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Charles Snyder: Scott Dickerson, he is from Milford, Delaware. Now five years ago, the oratorical contest we had our student from Dover,

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from Post Two, was sponsored by Post Two. He went on to win the post district, department And he went there to national and

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won fourth place, in national. And right now he's a student at Penn University in Pennsylvania.

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And we're very proud of him. Barbara Beel: This contest has been taking place for a number of years, what 50 or so?

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Charles Snyder: You know, I can't tell you how many years it has been. A long number of years that we've been doing this.

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And it's always on the same subjects. It's always on the Constitution of the United States. So it's an important subject,

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especially we feel 1987 is the bicentennial of the United States Constitution. This year is the year the flag that's been

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declared by Congress and the administration. So we feel that even though it's been a number of years that our subject

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is very timely each year. Barbara Beel: Let's talk about this for just a moment more. We've talked about it before and we've done stories about it.

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But those who are interested in this, Mr. Snyder, how can they get involved? What do they do first?

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Charles Snyder: Interested in the American Legion or...? Barbara Beel: In the oratorical contest. Charles Snyder: Each year from national we receive information.

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We distribute this information to the counselors at the high schools. And from there they brief the students and rap sessions and pass

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out the pamphlets that we give. They give all the instructions and any student that wants to can apply. And normally they go to

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their History teacher or English teacher for help in setting up their program. Being able to speak in front of an audience,

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and being tutored in the necessary portions of their speech that they plan to give. And from there, from there, they go to their local post

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and a local post sponsors them. And if they win, then they go through district as the route I've told, I explained a while ago.

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And it's an outstanding program for any young student. Dale Reno: I think it's very important to realize too, that they don't have to be tutored

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or sponsored by a speech teacher in their local high school. We had one instance where we couldn't get any interest in

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from the administration of the high school nor from any of the speech people. And we happen to have a Legionnaire

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who was in the maintenance part of the school. And that was the tutor. And he had the initiative to go ahead and get

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the boy interested in the contest and went on and won the state. Barbara Beel: I hope that's not Delaware. Dale Reno: No, it wasn't Delaware.

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But anyone, but any student who is interested certainly has that opportunity. Whether...

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And we realize that in the speech department of every school there are many contests, state contests, school contest, et cetera.

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So it usually is a contest, The American Legion oratorical contest, is usually an extra curricular activity

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for that individual. But many, many speech people, in the schools will help that individual because

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it is quite an honor and sixteen thousand dollar scholarship is, that's real nice. I have a daughter in college and I'll Dale Reno: tell you, it would have been nice. Barbara Beel: It's helpful.

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Barbara Beel: You should have coached her more. Dale Reno: That's right. That's right. Charles Snyder: As you know, from past experience,

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one of our local college presidents, got his start through the oratorical contest. And without that,

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he said he'd never been in a position Charles Snyder: he is now being President of Charles Snyder: Wesley College, Barbara Beel: Dr. Reed M. Stewart Charles Snyder: Right.

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Barbara Beel: Yes. It's quite a distinguished list of winners. I saw, well, today, the press conference was

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held where he announced the scholarship for Wesley College. Barbara Beel: And there have been Charles Snyder: Yes. Barbara Beel: many people who have gone on to fame.

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I don't know about fortune, but fame. Charles Snyder: Now this scholarship that the regents of Wesley College gave out this year It's one of the first in the United States.

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And in fact we're proud to have it here in Delaware. And I think it will make an impact on next year's students when they

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find out that this is possibly going to be available next year. Barbara Beel: We're talking today with the National Commander

00:19:58.310 - 00:20:07.070

of the American Legion, Mr. Dale Reno, and the Delaware Commander, Mr. Charles Snyder. Commander, Reno, you were in the Middle East recently,

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I believe. What were you doing there? Dale Reno: No, I haven't been in the Middle East. I've been to the Far East. Barbara Beel: Far East, Dale Reno: Right.

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Dale Reno: And I've been to Central America twice. The Middle East, I'm not going to the Middle East. Barbara Beel: Okay.

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Tell us about Central America, if you would. Why did you go, what did you see? Dale Reno: Okay, in 1979 the American Legion established what is known as

00:20:28.670 - 00:20:37.460

the Western Hemisphere Task Force. Our purpose in establishing that task force, and by the way, it was headed by Dr. Robert Foster,

00:20:37.460 - 00:20:46.130

who has since retired, was then President of Northwestern University in Maryville, Missouri, the purpose in setting that up was we

00:20:46.130 - 00:20:58.040

could see what was happening in Cuba. We were also very concerned about the growth of, of a Marxist Leninist type of government,

00:20:58.040 - 00:21:06.670

communist in Central America. Because that is a close area that's in, that's on the Western Hemisphere. And many people don't

00:21:06.670 - 00:21:14.270

realize those are Americans down there too. South America and Central America and the United States are all Americans.

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And our main purpose was to study what was happening down there. We were very fortunate in that these individuals came back with

00:21:22.820 - 00:21:33.410

a very good report in 1983 when the Kissinger Commission was established by President Reagan with recommendations to come

00:21:33.410 - 00:21:41.960

up on Central America. The American Legion was the only veterans organization that was invited to give testimony.

00:21:41.960 - 00:21:51.470

Then after that came out with the Jackson plan, known as the Jackson plan, and that parallels

00:21:51.470 - 00:21:58.460

our Western Hemisphere Task Force Report, almost to the word. So we felt that we were not only ahead of the government,

00:21:58.460 - 00:22:06.940

but we knew what we were talking about too. The purpose in my going down there to see how that Jackson plan was working in those countries.

00:22:06.940 - 00:22:16.750

And certainly our findings in two trips down there tells us that that Jackson plan is working. The problem is getting,

00:22:16.750 - 00:22:23.760

keeping that Jackson plan going. We're not very happy with the result of the vote in the House of the

00:22:23.760 - 00:22:32.980

$100 million to go to Nicaragua contra fighters. Dale Reno: But... Barbara Beel: Why is that? Dale Reno: Because the Sandinistas

00:22:32.980 - 00:22:41.500

in Sandinista government, when they took over from Somoza. They promised first free elections and a secure economic conditions down there.

00:22:41.500 - 00:22:50.570

In May, they'll start their seventh year. There had been no free elections. Six years ago, they had one prison in Nicaragua,

00:22:50.570 - 00:22:58.420

they now have ten prisons in Nicaragua. If it is so good, why do they have to build more prisons? The people do not have freedom.

00:22:58.420 - 00:23:06.190

They don't get to vote. Their economic situation is not good because rather than money going to

00:23:06.190 - 00:23:15.710

aid the people in their own country, it's going to aid Ortega's Sandinista Army down there. We landed in Managua, Nicaragua,

00:23:15.710 - 00:23:23.600

and the first one on the plane was a Sandinista soldier in camouflage uniform carrying an AK 47,

00:23:23.600 - 00:23:33.710

which is in Russian machine gun. Dale Reno: And we were told in English and we were told in Spanish, sit in your seat and take no pictures.

00:23:33.710 - 00:23:45.410

And we didn't. We sat in our seat and we didn't take pictures. I counted twelve, I think they're called AR 5s, which is a Russian built aircraft for

00:23:45.410 - 00:23:53.510

short hops that carry ten to twelve troops, fully armed. We counted a number of helicopters, Russian built,

00:23:53.510 - 00:24:04.460

the Russian version of the C 47. Surrounding the airport, anti-aircraft, weapons. And I'm not an expert, but I would assume they were Russian.

00:24:04.460 - 00:24:12.530

That's in our Western hemisphere. In fact, so close that you can drive to Managua, Nicaragua quicker than you can

00:24:12.530 - 00:24:22.330

drive to Los Angeles from here. But remember, they can also drive up here. We're also reaching a situation in Mexico right now where

00:24:22.330 - 00:24:30.950

the economic condition of Mexico is such that the people are, they're ripe for anything down there, whether it be terrorist group,

00:24:30.950 - 00:24:39.640

whether it be a communist insurgent, regardless of what it is. And that's, that's our border. That's our border.

00:24:39.640 - 00:24:47.500

We feel, The American Legion feels unless we give those people who are fighting for their freedom, their social freedom,

00:24:47.500 - 00:24:55.220

and their economic freedom, unless we give them support that may cost money, and will cost money, that is much better than sending

00:24:55.220 - 00:25:04.570

them troops who will shed blood. And we are not in favor of that at all. Barbara Beel: We are running out of time. I do want to ask you this very quickly.

00:25:04.570 - 00:25:16.250

The money that was sent to Honduras, how do you feel about that? Dale Reno: I think that's fine. You have to realize : that we're not going to have a lot to

00:25:16.250 - 00:25:24.680

say on how that, how that money is going to be spent. There may be certain guidelines set up, but once that money is

00:25:24.680 - 00:25:32.300

sent down there, they do need a lot of help in Honduras. Honduras is probably one of the stronger... Honduras and Costa Rica are

00:25:32.300 - 00:25:39.730

the strongest democratic countries we have down there. Honduras and Guatemala, also abut to Nicaragua.

00:25:39.730 - 00:25:50.700

So if we're going to give them aid, we definitely need to give them aid so that they can keep Dale Reno: up their defense posture too. Barbara Beel: Golly, we are almost out of time.

00:25:50.750 - 00:25:57.920

Barbara Beel: I'm just told we are out of time. We've been talking with the National Commander of the American Legion,

00:25:57.920 - 00:26:04.280

Dale Reno, and the Delaware Commander Mr. Charles Snyder,. I'm Barbara Beel and this has been the WKEN Open

00:26:04.280 - 00:26:12.050

Mic program. Thank you, gentlemen. Dale Reno: Thank you. Charles Snyder: Thank you. Barbara Beel: Sorry about that. Oh gosh,

00:26:12.050 - 00:26:23.840

I should have gone into that earlier. Are we off? Okay. I should have gone into that earlier. But, I wanted to wait till the end on that. Darn. I wanted to ask about the Philippines too.

00:26:23.840 - 00:26:30.050

And other places. Dale Reno: Oh, I didn't make the Philippines when I went to the Far East. We went in January.

00:26:30.050 - 00:26:38.090

And the national president represents the President on these, any Far East trips, any foreign countries that we go to.

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And we have White House, State Department and pen...