If I understand correctly, he was a Vietnam Era Helicopter Pilot who served in combat. He deserves more consideration.
I don't know that there is a formal one. I suppose an argument could be made directly to the Admin Moderator or even to The Man Himself. That's why I copied Fantasywriter in the forgoing.
It's my understanding that Bushpilot1 and FW were pretty tight, and since FW has been here since 2000, perhaps an appeal from that quarter would carry more weight than one by either you or I, who have relatively recent FR born-on dates.