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Give heroes of Air America their dueir America’s story is one lots and crewmen, are still Harry Reid has led the ated, controlled and fundedof courage, honor and living. Records show that charge. In 2009, Reid, a Ne-bytheU.S.loyalty under circum- 240 pilots and crewmem- vada Democrat, along with government/CIA.” Bissonstances most people cannot bers were killed in action, Rep. Shelley Berkley, also a wrote that during years ofimagine. It also is a story of most of them as a result of Nevada Democrat, intro- the CIA’s predecessor, thedisappointment and betray- enemy fire in the covert war duced the Air America Veter- Office of Strategic Services,al by the government Air in Laos. Some pilots are still ans Act that called for au- “Corporations, even thoughAmerica’s employees risked their lives to serve.From 1976, the1950totheyearUnited States officially left Vietnam, Air America was a federal corporation owned and operated by the Central Intelligence Agency. It supported U.S. missions during the Cold War. Often under enemy fire and using outdated equipment, the or-BILLMAXWELLmissing in ac- thorizing a study to deter- established for cover pur-mine their eligibility for poses, were recognized asbenefits. Congress asked the bona fide government agen-director of National Intelli- cies.” He pointed out thatgence to prepare a report on employees of other CIA cor-the issue. porations such as RadioGary Bisson, former Air Free Asia, the Asia Founda-America assistant legal tion and Radio Free Europe,counsel, wrote in an email were given Civil Service sta-message that the report was tus for the time they servednot officially rec- subcontracted, at a cost of and granted appropriateabout $350,000, to Booz federal benefits. Air Americation.The CIA conducted Air America operations in secret. To this day, the CIA and other intelligence agencies haveognized AirAmerica. Off the Allen Hamilton, which sent employees deserve the samerecord, however, it to the CIA for further vet- or more.ganizationflewBill Maxwell isthe intelligence community has nothing but praise for Airting.While the government willBased on the report’s find- continue to use the advice ofings, the director of National for-hire companies such asIntelligence,quitepreBooz Allen Hamilton to jus-America, and in dictably, determined that tify denying benefits to Aircargo to countries a columnist for its own history “granting such benefits America employees, I sub-such as Cambodia, ^e Petersburg the CIA lauds Air would undermine the na- mit that the time has comeAmerica’s flying tional security utility of pro- for Congress, the presidentKorea, Laos and Times. HisVietnam. While op- column iserating bases in distributed byprowess.But becauseprietaries (CIA jargon for an and the intelligence com-arm’s-length company that munity to muster the moralthese countries, it Scripps Howard they have not re- gives the agency deniabili- courage to write new legalcarried out covert News.and humanitarianmissions in Thai-ceived officialrecognitionty), create a costly precedent language that will correct a for granting such benefits to terrible injustice, that will(translate that to other proprietary employ- make an exception for Airland, Taiwan, Japan, Burma mean “legal” recognition),ees, and would not with- America.and China.Air America employees have stand legal or public scruti-Its most iconic image was never received the federalny.))If we can accept presidential pardons for people whocapturedindramatic retirement b enefits they de -This decision let the gov- have committed crimes,ernment maintain its posi- some treasonous, againsttion that Air America was our government, why can’tAmerica Huey helicopter their own government’s bu- not a government company we find the goodwill, thefootage from Saigon on April serve. Their toughest ene-29, 1975, showing an Air mies, ironically, have beenlifting CIA operatives, mili- reaucracy and the courts.and not part of the Civil wisdom and the means totary personnel and theirFor about a decade, a Service. Bisson and others rewrite language that willfamilies from an apartment handful of Washington law- disagree. He wrote in an give surviving employees,building.makers have campaigned email message that over- now in their 70s and 80s,Fewer than 500 Air Ameri- on behalf of Air America, whelming evidence shows Civil Service status and fed-ca employees, including pi- Senate Majority Leader that the company was “ere- eral retirement benefits?
Newspaper Details
Indiana Gazette
Indiana, Pennsylvania, US
Tue, Sep 06, 2011
Page 26
Full Page
Clipped by
Tim G.
USA 21 May 2019
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