VA Media Analysis Targeted Report 19 - Vietnam …...VA Media Analysis Targeted Report - 19 16 March...

VA Media Analysis Targeted Report - 19 16 March – 13 April

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VAMediaAnalysisTargetedReport-1916 March – 13 April

16 March 1 - Lafayette Journal & Courier: Letter: Will never forget Vietnam vets (16 March, Mary Nakhleh, 373k online visitors/mo; Lafayette, IN) The Indiana Daughters of the American Revolution are proud partners of the U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration that was established by the U.S. Veterans Affairs, along with the Department of Defense, to recognize, honor and thank our Vietnam veterans and their families for the service and sacrifice during one of America’s longest wars. Hyperlink to Above 2 - WBUP (ABC-10, Video): Events planned to honor Vietnam War Veterans (16 March, 900 online visitors/day; Ely Township, MI) The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is set to honor those who fought in the Vietnam War. The events are set to take place nationwide on March 29th. Two events are scheduled here in the Upper Peninsula. Hyperlink to Above 17 March 1 - WTVC (ABC-9): Chattanooga National Cemetery plans ceremony honoring Vietnam Veterans (17 March, 656k online visitors/mo; Chattanooga, TN) The Department of Veterans Affairs Chattanooga National Cemetery plans to honor the service, sacrifice, and enduring achievements of the Vietnam Veterans during a Vietnam War Commemoration 50th Anniversary event. The event will commemorate Vietnam War Veterans and each Vietnam Veteran will receive a Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin during a pinning ceremony as part of the event. Hyperlink to Above 2 - The Chattanoogan.com: Chattanooga National Cemetery To Honor Vietnam Veterans (17 March, 147k online visitors/mo; Chattanooga, TN) The Department of Veterans Affairs Chattanooga National Cemetery will honor the service, sacrifice, and achievements of Vietnam Veterans during a Vietnam War Commemoration 50th Anniversary event on Tuesday, March 29 at noon. Hyperlink to Above 18 March 1 - Bradenton Herald: Vietnam-era veterans invited to welcome home commemoration at Patriot Plaza (18 March, James A. Jones Jr., 302k online visitors/mo; Bradenton, FL) Uncle Sam wants you, Vietnam War-era veterans, to attend a commemoration ceremony at 5 p.m. March 29, where you will be thanked for your service. The ceremony is for all who served between Nov. 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975, whether in Vietnam or elsewhere.


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Hyperlink to Above 2 - Muskogee Phoenix: Vietnam vets to be honored (18 March, 84k online visitors/mo; Muskogee, OK) Vietnam War veterans will receive a special welcome home from the Muskogee Veterans Affairs Regional Benefits Office. Veterans will be recognized for their valor, service and sacrifice on behalf of a grateful nation, according to a news release. The free event is open to the public and begins at 11 a.m. March 29 on the grounds outside the benefits office at 125 S. Main St. Families are encouraged to attend. Hyperlink to Above 19 March 1 - Duluth News-Tribune: Vietnam War commemoration set for Depot (19 March, John Myers, 254k online visitors/mo; Duluth, MN) Dennis Hughes wants the March 29 event at the Depot’s Great Hall in Duluth to be a big party — a thank you, welcome home, meet-and-greet sort of party for Vietnam-era veterans across the Northland. “The kind of appreciation most never got 50 years ago,” said Hughes, a Vietnam combat veteran. Hyperlink to Above 20 March 1 - Muskogee Phoenix: VA program to commemorate Vietnam veterans' sacrifice (20 March, Mark Hughes, 84k online visitors/mo; Muskogee, OK) There are 113,000 Vietnam veterans in Oklahoma with approximately 3,000 of them living in Muskogee County, and an upcoming event will provide special recognition to them. This event "is an opportunity for our 1,300 employees to say, 'welcome home, we are forever grateful for your service and sacrifice to our nation,'" said Jacob Nichols, coordinator of the event and special staff assistant at the regional office. Hyperlink to Above 21 March 1 - The Register-Herald: Vietnam vets welcomed at area ceremony (21 March, Charles Boothe, 79k online visitors/mo; Beckley, WV) Area residents and state and local dignitaries showed their appreciation of Vietnam veterans Sunday afternoon at a ceremony at the Memorial Building in Princeton. The third annual Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day Ceremony was held to “welcome home, honor and recognize Vietnam veterans,” said Marie Blackwell, a member of the ceremony’s organizing committee. Hyperlink to Above


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22 March 1 - The Washington Times (AP): Vietnam War veterans being honored in Charleston (22 March, 3.5M online visitors/mo; Washington, DC) Vietnam War veterans are being honored in Charleston as part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the war. Officials from the Department of Defense and the Ralph Johnson VA Medical Center are honoring vets with Vietnam War Commemorative pins at the medical center. The center has invited Vietnam vets from the area to come and receive their pins Tuesday morning. Hyperlink to Above 2 - The Roanoke Times: VA to honor area Vietnam-era veterans (22 March, Luanne Rife, 941k online visitors/mo; Roanoke, VA) The Salem VA Medical Center and Veterans Benefits Administration will host a ceremony March 29 to observe the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Veterans who served in the U.S. armed forces from Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of location, are eligible to receive a lapel pin during the ceremony. Hyperlink to Above 3 - WJHL (CBS-11): V-A to honor Vietnam veterans in Friday ceremony (22 March, Douglas Counts, 272k online visitors/mo; Johnson City, TN) A very special event honoring Vietnam veterans is coming up on Friday, March 25. The Mountain Home VA Medical Center will have a Welcome Home ceremony for Vietnam Veterans on Friday, March 25 at 2 p.m. at the VA Medical Center Conference Center as part of a nationwide celebration for Vietnam veterans. Hyperlink to Above 4 - Johnson City Press: Mountain Home VA to host Vietnam War veteran homecoming (22 March, Becky Campbell, 64k online visitors/mo; Johnson City, TN) Not only were there no hero homecomings when the war ended, Vietnam veterans were more likely to be treated like unwanted criminals in their own neighborhoods and towns. Much has changed since then, and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Mountain Home plans to kick off the first of many appreciation events to be held throughout the year. Hyperlink to Above 5 - The Greenville Sun: Mountain Home Will Commemorate Vietnam War Veterans At Ceremony (22 March, 36k online visitors/mo; Greenville, TN) The Mountain Home VA Medical Center will have a Welcome Home ceremony for Vietnam veterans at 2 p.m. Friday at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center's Conference Center, building 200, room A-061-K. There will be a brief program, which will culminate in Vietnam War veterans receiving a commemorative Vietnam War pin, according to a recent news release. Hyperlink to Above 6 - Harrison Daily Times: Vietnam 50th commemoration event March 29 (22 March, 36k online visitors/mo; Harrison, AR)


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The Fayetteville Vet Center, in conjunction with the Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks, will hold a 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Vietnam War event at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 29 in Building 3 auditorium. The program will pay tribute and honor to all Vietnam Veterans and their families. Hyperlink to Above 7 - Bossier Press-Tribune: Overton Brooks, Vet Center to commemorate Vietnam War 50th Anniversary (22 March, 27k online visitors/mo; Bossier City, LA) The Overton Brooks VA Medical Center (OBVAMC) in coordination with the Shreveport Vet Center will commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, March 29, beginning at 12 p.m. The location of the event is at the Overton Brooks VAMC. Hyperlink to Above 8 - The Paper of Wabash County: Vietnam veterans earn recognition (22 March, Joseph Slacian, 3k online visitors/mo; Wabash, IN) Michael Stephens, director of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Indianapolis Regional Office, presented about 30 veterans with a lapel pin, signifying their service in Vietnam on the 50th anniversary of the war. Stephens noted the anniversary commemoration was ordered through a presidential proclamation on May 21, 2012. The commemoration is to last from May 28, 2012 through Nov. 11, 2025. Hyperlink to Above 9 - The Paper of Wabash County: Vets told agency pushing for ‘My VA’ experience (22 March, Joseph Slacian, 3k online visitors/mo; Wabash, IN) Bob McDonald, secretary of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, has a specific vision for his agency, those attending a veterans’ town hall meeting Friday, March 18, at the Laketon American Legion were told. The VA is represented by three branches: the National Cemetery Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the Veterans Health Administration. Hyperlink to Above 10 - Voice of the Valley: Vietnam Veterans to be honored in a ceremony at Tahoma National Cemetery (22 March, Kathleen Kear, Maple Valley, WA) Continuing to honor Vietnam Veterans in this the year of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, a special service commemorating the service, sacrifice, and enduring achievements of the Vietnam Veterans will be held at the Tahoma National Cemetery on Tuesday, March 29, beginning at 5 p.m. Hyperlink to Above 23 March 1 - Patch.com (Marietta): Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Ceremony Set For Marietta National Cemetary (23 March, Tim Darnell, 3.8M online visitors/mo; New York, NY) A Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony to thank and honor veterans of the war will be held Tuesday, March 29, beginning at 9 am. The keynote speaker is Sergeant Major Harold G. Overstreet, USMC, Retired.


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Hyperlink to Above 2 - Ventura County Star: Vietnam vets will be honored on Tuesday (23 March, 529k online visitors/mo; Camarillo, CA) Vietnam veterans will be honored in a Ventura event on Tuesday. An open house at the Ventura Vet Center is one of a nationwide chain of events commemorating the anniversary of a war that stretched from 1955 to 1975. Called Vietnam Veterans Day, the program comes 43 years to the day the last American troops left Vietnam. Hyperlink to Above 3 - SurfKY News: City of Paducah Commission Meeting Highlights (23 March, 119k online visitors/mo; Madisonville, KY) Cheryl Bendick, regent with the Paducah Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, announced that a wreath laying ceremony and Welcome Home for our Vietnam Veterans will be at 10 a.m. March 29 at Dolly McNutt Memorial Plaza. The Welcome Home event is part of the 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Vietnam War. Hyperlink to Above 4 - The Meadville Tribune: Veterans Corner: Vietnam War Commemorative Ceremony is Tuesday (23 March, Charlie Castelluccio, 67k online visitors/mo; Meadville, PA) A Vietnam War Commemorative Ceremony is Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Erie County Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located on State Street in Erie. All veterans, their families and community members are invited to attend a special Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony, as a grateful nation takes time to pay tribute to those who served throughout the Vietnam War. Hyperlink to Above 5 - KOTA (ABC-3): Department of Veterans Affairs honors Vietnam War vets. Vietnam War 50th anniversary ceremony set at Black Hills National Cemetery (23 March, 65k online visitors/day; Rapid City, SD) More than four decades after the fall of South Vietnam, America’s Vietnam War veterans will be honored. A Vietnam War 50th anniversary commemoration ceremony is set to thank and honor veterans of the war at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 29, at the Black Hills National Cemetery. Hyperlink to Above 6 - The Exponent Telegram: National Cemetery to hold commemoration ceremony for Vietnam War veterans (23 March, Brittany Murray, 33k online visitors/mo; Clarksburg, WV) Brian Barnes will be the keynote speaker for a Vietnam War 50th anniversary commemoration ceremony to thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War. The ceremony will be held March 29 at the Grafton National Cemetery at 2 p.m. and the West Virginia National Cemetery at 3 p.m. Hyperlink to Above 7 - Wayne County Journal-Banner: DAR to Honor Vietnam Vets Tuesday (23 March, 9k online visitors/mo; Piedmont, MO)


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A special ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, to honor veterans of the Vietnam War. The ceremony, which is sponsored by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Captain Henry Whitener Chapter, a NSDAR commemorative partner with the U. S. Department Of Veterans Affairs, will be held at 2 p.m. at the Piedmont City Park War Memorial. Hyperlink to Above 8 - Erie Times-News: Ceremony to pay tribute to Erie County Vietnam War veterans (23 March, Gerry Weiss; Erie, PA) All veterans, their families and members of the community are invited to the ceremony, which is part of a national initiative spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to recognize and thank Vietnam War veterans, Gudgeon said. More than 150 VA centers nationwide will be honoring Vietnam War veterans at ceremonies on Tuesday. Hyperlink to Above 24 March 1 - South Florida Sun-Sentinel: Florida events planned for Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day (24 March, Diane C. Lade, 1.6M online visitors/mo; Fort Lauderdale, FL) Ceremonies and proclamations are planned across Florida on March 29-30 in honor of Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day, which commemorates when the last U.S. troops left the southeastern Asian country 41 years ago. Vietnam-era service men and women now make up the largest percentage of combat veterans living in Florida. One out of every three Florida veterans today served in the Vietnam War, according to state officials, numbering more than 500,000 men and women. Hyperlink to Above 2 - Oakland Press: Great Lakes National Cemetery honors 1959-1975 veterans (24 March, Sharon Longman, 418k online visitors/mo; Pontiac, MI) Great Lakes National Cemetery hosts commemorative service honoring all Vietnam era 1959-1975 veterans at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 2, at the performance area, 4200 Belford Road, east of N. Holly Road, exit 108 from I-75. The speakers for the service are U.S. Army veteran John H. Riling and U.S. Navy veteran Ina J. Golden. Hyperlink to Above 3 - Lincoln Journal Star: Veterans Affairs to honor Vietnam War veterans (24 March, 295k online visitors/mo; Lincoln, NE) Vietnam War veterans will be honored 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at a Vietnam War 50th anniversary commemoration at the John B. Muller Administration Building at Bellevue University, 1000 Galvin Road South. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will host the commemoration to recognize all who served on active duty in the U.S. armed forces during the Vietnam War, Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975. Hyperlink to Above


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4 - The Republic: ‘We need to do something’ (24 March, Mark Webber, 132k online visitors/mo; Columbus, IN) Many military veterans who served in foreign wars during the past five decades still carry invisible scars that can be addressed through mental health services being offered at a new Veterans Administration clinic in Edinburgh. That information was shared during a town hall meeting for veterans Wednesday at Columbus City Hall organized by the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis… Hyperlink to Above 25 March 1 - WITI (FOX-6, Video): “We want to help them:” Veterans of Vietnam remembered as nation honors their service (25 March, Deandra Corinthios, 704k online visitors/mo; Milwaukee, WI) A special set of heroes were recognized on Friday, March 25th in Milwaukee -- they are veterans of the Vietnam War. They were thanked not only for their service, but also the road they have paved for those serving after them. Hyperlink to Above 2 - WCYB (NBC-5): Despite the decades, Vietnam-era vets officially welcomed home (25 March, Lee Owens, 403k online visitors/mo; Bristol, VA) A Welcome Home ceremony was held a few decades late for service members who served our country during the Vietnam era. News 5 WCYB was at the VA Medical Center in Johnson City. Each veteran was given a pen to commemorate their service during that time. Hyperlink to Above 3 - The Tuscaloosa News: Tuscaloosa VA ceremony to honor Vietnam veterans. All veterans invited to attend Tuesday event (25 March, Angel Coker, 346k online visitors/mo; Tuscaloosa, AL) Brown said he thinks it is still a struggle for veterans to get the recognition and thanks they deserve, but Veterans Affairs Medical Centers across the nation are trying to remedy that. The Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center will host a ceremony at 10 a.m. Tuesday… Hyperlink to Above 4 - The Daily Tribune: Vietnam Vets to be honored (25 March, Lynda Stringer, 43k online visitors/mo; Mount Pleasant, TX) Vietnam veterans didn’t receive a hero’s welcome when they came home in the 1960s and a group of women are making a small gesture to try make up for that. The local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution started tahree years ago presenting local vets with commemorative lapel pins to honor their service in the military during that wartime era. Hyperlink to Above 5 - Ocean City Today: Vietnam veterans to be celebrated (25 March, Kara Hallissey, 36k online visitors/mo; Ocean City, MD)


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Vietnam veterans and their families are invited to the American Legion Post #166 on Wednesday, March 30, for the fourth annual “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day,” from noon to 4 p.m. on 24th Street. The event kicks off with an hour of welcoming, conversation and the opportunity to talk with a few support groups. Hyperlink to Above 6 - Ashland Daily Press: Area Vietnam vets to be honored by fellow veterans (25 March, Rick Olivo, 5k online visitors/day; Phillips, WI) On Tuesday, March 29, the United States will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, a conflict that divided the nation, and, according to government figures, cost 58,220 service members their lives. Hyperlink to Above 26 March 1 - The Herald: Calling all Vietnam vets: Tuesday Rock Hill honors you (26 March, Andrew Dys, 584k online visitors/mo; Rock Hill, SC) At a ceremony at Rock Hill’s National Guard armory, all Vietnam War veterans from York, Chester, and Lancaster counties are invited to stand tall and stand proud and have a pin placed over their heart thanking them for their service. Hyperlink to Above 2 - Valley News: Hundreds Expected at Vietnam Veterans Event in WRJ (26 March, White River Junction, VT) More than 500 people are expected to turn out for a ceremony Tuesday March 29 honoring Vietnam War veterans and commemorating the 50th anniversary of the war. Due to the overwhelming response, the event, set for 1 p.m., will be held outside under tents on the grounds of the VA Medical Center. Hyperlink to Above 27 March 1 - Omaha World-Herald: Vietnam veterans to be honored this week in Bellevue (27 March, Steve Liewer, 2.4M online visitors/mo; Omaha, NE) The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Regional Office will honor Vietnam War veterans at a ceremony Tuesday in Bellevue. The Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration will be recognized at 1:30 p.m. at Bellevue University… Hyperlink to Above 2 - Daily Local News: Coatesville VA to honor Vietnam veterans for service (27 March, Ginger Dunbar, 212k online visitors/mo; West Chester, PA) Coatesville Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center will host a commemoration ceremony celebrating Vietnam War era veterans at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Medical Center’s Great Hall.


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Hyperlink to Above 3 - The Daily Courier: Forging the way: Vietnam women veterans receive recognition, 50-year coins and pins (27 March, Sue Tone, 138k online visitors/mo; Prescott, AZ) Nearly 40 women veterans of the Vietnam War gathered in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Theater on Wednesday, March 16, to receive recognition of their service with a ceremony that included keynote speaker Ret. Col. Wanda Wright, director of the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services, the first woman appointed to the position. Hyperlink to Above 4 - DailyProgress.com (Culpeper Star-Exponent): Saying thanks to Vietnam Vets (27 March, Rhonda Simmons, 135k online visitors/mo; Charlottesville, VA) Culpeper citizens will salute area Vietnam veterans during the 50th anniversary ceremony held at the Culpeper National Cemetery on Tuesday. Culpeper Town Councilman and retired Army veteran Keith Price will serve as this year’s keynote speaker. Hyperlink to Above 5 - KFDA (CBS-10): Emergency Department ribbon cutting and Vietnam War commemoration (27 March, Angelica Brown, 87k online visitors/mo; Amarillo, TX) The Amarillo VA Health Care System will cut the ribbon for the new Emergency Department Tuesday, March 29th at the Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center at 11:00 am with an open house until 1:00 pm. Hyperlink to Above 6 - Natchez Democrat: Observe Vietnam Veterans Day Tuesday (27 March, Mary Willard, 83k online visitors/mo; Natchez, MS) As a member of the Natchez Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, I recently received a new blog post on my computer. The blog was from Dr. Linda Schwartz, VA Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning concerning the observance of Vietnam Veterans Day on Tuesday, March 29. Our DAR Natchez Chapter would like to encourage the citizens of the Natchez and Vidalia area to join us in this special remembrance. Hyperlink to Above 7 - The Paducah Sun: Overdue: Tuesday event honors Vietnam veterans (27 March, Joshua Roberts, 40k online visitors/mo; Paducah, KY) Jerry Beyer remembers 1968, his first year as a funeral director, for the men - and in many cases, boys - who came home from war in boxes. He conducted many funerals for Vietnam veterans, and time hasn't dulled the sad memories or the country's loss, Beyer said. Hyperlink to Above 8 - Maryville Daily Forum: ‘Welcome Home’ tribute to honor Vietnam veterans (27 March, Tony Brown, 30k online visitors/mo; Maryville, MO) Nodaway County veterans who fought, and nine local soldiers who died, in the United States’ longest armed conflict, the Vietnam War, will be honored beginning at 11 a.m. Tuesday during ceremonies on the west lawn of the courthouse.


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Hyperlink to Above 9 - Park Rapids Enterprise: Legion to host program honoring Vietnam veterans (27 March, Jean Ruzicka, 18k online visitors/mo; Park Rapids, MN) Tuesday Park Rapids area veterans of the Vietnam War will receive an official "welcome home," a commemoration 50-plus years after the controversial war came to an end. "It’s a celebration they never got," explained Annette Keanu of the Duluth Vet Center. Hyperlink to Above 10 - KTVQ (CBS-2): Wreath ceremony in Laurel honors Vietnam vets (27 March, Dan Dragan, 6k online visitors/day; Billings, MT) The 50 year Anniversary celebration of the Vietnam War continued Saturday morning with the Montana Veterans Administration holding a commemoration ceremony to honor Vietnam veterans. The event took place at the Yellowstone National Cemetery in Laurel where more than 160 Veterans have been laid to rest. Hyperlink to Above 11 - KEEL (CMN-710): OBVAMC, Vet Center to Commemorate Vietnam War 50th Anniversary (27 March, Angela Thomas, 400 online visitors/day; Shreveport, LA) Overton Brooks VA Medical Center and the Shreveport Vet Center have an event scheduled to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The ceremony will be held beginning at noon March 29 at the medical center. Hyperlink to Above 28 March 1 - Boston Globe: 50 years after war, local Vietnam veterans officially recognized (28 March, J.D. Capelouto, 16.5M online visitors/mo; Boston, MA) During a ceremony at the VA Medical Center in Jamaica Plain, the Vietnam veterans were thanked for serving their country, and were presented with commemorative pins for the anniversary. “This is an opportunity for us to stop for a moment and acknowledge the sacrifice and the things that they did for this country,” VA Regional Benefits Office Director Bradley Mayes said. “They really paved the way for generations of veterans that came after them.” Hyperlink to Above 2 - USA Today: Vietnam War dead to be honored Tuesday (28 March, Patricia Kime, 13.7M online visitors/mo; McLean, VA) Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald will lay wreaths at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Tuesday to honor U.S. servicemembers killed in the Vietnam War. The event is part of a 13-year, ongoing commemoration to mark the 50th anniversary of the conflict, which spanned from the late 1950s to 1975. Hyperlink to Above 3 - The Baltimore Sun: Events planned to commemorate Vietnam veterans during 50th anniversary of war (28 March, Tim Prudente, 3.4M online visitors/mo; Baltimore, MD)


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On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is planning to offer the welcome and tribute that many who fought in Vietnam never received. The department has designated March 29 a day to recognize the veterans and their families with ceremonies across Maryland. "There were no celebrations. We just came home and were told to be quiet and move on with our lives," said Shoener, now a 73-year-old retired lieutenant colonel living in Easton. Hyperlink to Above 4 - Military Times: Carter, McDonald to honor Vietnam War dead (28 March, Patricia Kime, 482k online visitors/mo; Springfield, VA) Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald will lay wreaths at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Tuesday to honor U.S. service members killed in the Vietnam War. The event is part of a 13-year, ongoing commemoration to mark the 50th anniversary of the conflict, which spanned from the late 1950s to 1975. Hyperlink to Above 5 - The Journal News: Ceremonies Tuesday for Vietnam Veterans Day (28 March, Richard Liebson, 933k online visitors/mo; White Plains, NY) Tuesday is Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day, proclaimed by President Barack Obama in 2012 as a day for the nation to thank those who served in one of the most divisive conflicts in U.S. history. On March 29, 1973, the last U.S. troops left Vietnam, ending 11 years of war that saw 58,00 Americans killed. Hyperlink to Above 6 - KPBS (PBS-15): San Diego Vietnam Vets Honored At VA Ceremony Tuesday (28 March, Megan Burke and Kenny Goldberg, 640k online visitors/mo; San Diego, CA) The Department of Veterans Affairs and other San Diego veterans organizations are honoring three San Diego Vietnam War veterans on Tuesday, more than five decades after U.S. ground troops entered Vietnam. Marine Corps veteran Jack Lyon, U.S. Air Force veteran Joan Craigwell and U.S. Army veteran Phil Landis will be celebrated as part of a national commemoration of the Vietnam War by the U.S. Department of Defense. Hyperlink to Above 7 - Bangor Daily News: Vietnam veterans to be thanked during Tuesday ceremony at Togus facility (28 March, Nok-Noi Ricker, 634k online visitors/mo; Bangor, ME) The Veterans Administration of Maine is holding a ceremony Tuesday to honor and thank those who served in the Vietnam War between 1955 and 1975 “regardless of location” and to remember the sacrifice made by those who didn’t return. “They didn’t get treated well when they came home,” Jim Doherty, a spokesman for the VA in Maine, said of Vietnam veterans. “What we’re trying to do is make up for that.” Hyperlink to Above 8 - Florida Today: VA set to honor Vietnam veterans (28 March, R. Norman Moody, 561k online visitors/mo; Melbourne, FL) The VA will honor Vietnam veterans in a ceremony Tuesday. Cape Canaveral National Cemetery will honor the service and sacrifice of Vietnam veterans during a Vietnam War


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Commemoration 50th Anniversary event. Each of the veterans will receive a Vietnam veteran lapel pin during a pinning ceremony. Hyperlink to Above 9 - Tulsa World: Tulsa, Muskogee events to honor Vietnam veterans on Tuesday (28 March, 470k online visitors/mo; Tulsa, OK) The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and its offices across the country are recognizing the 50th anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam on Tuesday. As part of that, in Tulsa, VFW Post 577 and the Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System will host a commemoration event to honor the service and sacrifice of Vietnam veterans and their families. Hyperlink to Above 10 - Reading Eagle: Vietnam veteran from Muhlenberg Township will represent Berks County at state capitol (28 March, Ron Devlin, 245k online visitors/mo; Reading, PA) In Vietnam, 21-year-old Richard D. Bittle served aboard the USS Nueces during the Tet counteroffensive in 1968 and 1969. Now, 47 years later, the retired Muhlenberg Township steelworker will represent Berks County at the 50-year Commemoration of the Vietnam War at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the state Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg. Hyperlink to Above 11 - WPDE (ANC-15, Video): Dillon veteran says he's having trouble getting cancer treatment from local VA (28 March, Tonya Brown, 197k online visitors/mo; Conway, SC) Vietnam veteran David Greene, Sr., said he feels like he's getting the runaround from the Veterans Administration for medical treatment for his prostate cancer diagnosis. Greene said he's been trying for months to see a doctor for chronic pain. "Right now, I'm in a lot of a pain. From back down the side. Right on down to the end of my stomach. And I can't really relax. Hyperlink to Above 12 - The Durango Herald: Vietnam veterans to be honored Tuesday (28 March, 153k online visitors/mo; Durango, CO) March 29 was designated as a day to honor Vietnam veterans by Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald because it was the day the last American troops left Vietnam in 1973. “When the Vietnam vets came home they were not greeted like the soldiers from World War II or Korea,” Cordova said. “They were kind of spit on in the big cities and not treated well because I guess the population was mad we were in Vietnam.” Hyperlink to Above 13 - SWVA Today: Citizens urged to thank Vietnam veterans on day of gratitude (28 March, Mary Alice, 17k online visitors/mo; Wytheville, VA) An important commemoration is happening this Tuesday, March 29: Vietnam Veterans Day. Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald has issued a message throughout the VA system saying, "VA Central Office, along with nearly 9,000 organizations across the country, has joined with the Department of Defense as a commemorative partner to honor our Nation's Vietnam Veterans. Hyperlink to Above


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14 - KDAL (Westwood One-610): Vietnam Veterans To Be Honored In Duluth (28 March, Dave Strandberg, 9k online visitors/mo; Duluth, MN) As part of the nationwide Vietnam Veterans Day, the Veterans Memorial Hall and Duluth Vet Center are hosting a free event at the Depot on Tuesday night to honor and thank all the veterans who served during the Vietnam War era. The free event is being held from 5 to 8 p-m and will feature a short program emceed by WDSM Radio host and Vietnam Veteran, Brad Bennett. Hyperlink to Above 15 - The Daily Post-Athenian: Vietnam Veterans tribute is Tuesday (28 March, 8k online visitors/mo; Athens, TN) An often under-appreciated group of American veterans is not going unnoticed in McMinn County. The Fifth Annual Vietnam Veterans Day Ceremony will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m. at the McMinn Senior Activity Center - a new venue chosen for its accessibility and capacity. McMinn County Veterans Services Director and VSO Susan Peglow - a U.S. Army veteran - believes the growing event is a positive sign for this community. Hyperlink to Above 29 March 1 - The Wall Street Journal: Capital Journal Daybreak: 2016 Candidates Break From Traditional Party Platforms, More (29 March, 41.5M online visitors/mo; New York, NY) Obama Administration: President Barack Obama speaks at the National Prescription Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit in Atlanta at 2:30 p.m. EDT. Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at 8:30 a.m. at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War and to honor U.S. Vietnam veterans and their families. Hyperlink to Above 2 - USA Today: 5 things you need to know Tuesday (29 March, 13.7M online visitors/mo; McLean, VA) The Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday will conduct hundreds of events in facilities across the nation to recognize, honor, and thank U.S. Vietnam vets and their families as part of the ongoing commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald will hold a wreath-laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington alongside Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter. Hyperlink to Above 3 - Chicago Tribune: Vietnam vets honored at Lincoln Cemetery (29 March, Donna Vickroy, 13.5M online visitors/mo; Chicago, IL) On Tuesday morning, the Department of Veterans Affairs Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery honored the service, sacrifice and enduring achievements of local Vietnam vets during such a commemoration event. Some 200 veterans, flanked by family members, received a lapel pin before cemetery director Sean Baumgartner personally thanked them for their service. Afterward, a red-, white- and blue-festooned wreath was hung.


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Hyperlink to Above 4 - Military.com: Vietnam Vets Gather at Memorial Wall to Mark War's '50th Anniversary' (29 March, Richard Sisk, 6.1M online visitors/mo; San Francisco, CA) It's always hard for Vietnam combat veterans to come to the shiny black wall where the names of the war dead are inscribed on the Vietnam War Memorial, but a small group was there Tuesday as dignitaries laid a wreath to honor the sacrifice. "I've got a lot of friends up there, a lot of friends, too many" whose names are listed on the wall, said Peter E. "Pete" Davis, 73, of the Blinded Veterans Association. Hyperlink to Above 5 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Across the country, events mark anniversary of Vietnam War (29 March, 4.4M online visitors/mo; Saint Louis, MO) From wreath-laying ceremonies to smaller affairs, hundreds of events Tuesday will mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The Department of Veterans Affairs will hold hundreds of events to recognize and thank Vietnam vets and their families as part of the ongoing commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Hyperlink to Above 6 - The Washington Times (AP): South Carolina VA honors Vietnam vets, holds jobs fair (29 March, 3.5M online visitors/mo; Washington, DC) As well, VA staff are to be on hand to assist veterans with enrollment for VA care and answer any queries on health-related issues. Regional office employees are attending to provide individualized claims assistance for veterans and their families. South Carolina National Guard members are also hosting a military career and family resource fair at the event, featuring education, legal guidance, health and family welfare assistance. Hyperlink to Above 7 - The Washington Times (AP): Verde Valley residents honor Vietnam veterans this week (29 March, 3.5M online visitors/mo; Washington, DC) Communities in the Verde Valley are honoring Vietnam veterans this week. A replica of a Washington, D.C., memorial that lists the names of Americans who died in the Vietnam War will be on display in Sedona starting Wednesday. Motorcyclists will escort the traveling wall from Camp Verde to Posse Grounds Park. Hyperlink to Above 8 - The Baltimore Sun: To our Vietnam vets: A belated thank you, and welcome home (28 March, Adam M. Robinson Jr., 3.4M online visitors/mo; Baltimore, MD) Although the actual start date of the U.S. involvement in Vietnam seems to have been a rolling one — Green Berets served there as advisers long before the president authorized boots on the ground in 1965, and the first American was killed in Saigon in 1958 — this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. Hyperlink to Above


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9 - The Baltimore Sun: Vietnam veterans honored for their service, a half-century later (29 March, Johnathan Pitts, 3.4M online visitors/mo; Baltimore, MD) Of the many images that haunt Stephen Warhol from his yearlong tour of duty in Vietnam, what stands out most are the caskets. An 18-year-old passenger specialist with the Air Force in 1971, Warhol was tasked with welcoming new arrivals to Da Nang Air Force base near the demilitarized zone and helping those lucky enough to be leaving. Hyperlink to Above 10 - WJW (FOX-8, Video): Ceremony honors Cleveland-area Vietnam veterans (29 March, 2.2M online visitors/mo; Cleveland, OH) Tuesday was a historic day, as the United State commemorates 50 years since the Vietnam War. Veterans, their families and community leaders gathered at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center to share their stories and memories. It was also a chance to thank and honor veterans who served in that war, but may not have been celebrated when they returned home. Hyperlink to Above 11 - WKYC (NBC-3, Video): Honoring Vietnam veterans 50 years later (29 March, 1.9M online visitors/mo; Cleveland, OH) Northeast Ohio Vietnam Veterans were honored at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center Tuesday. This was just one of thousands of events across the country today recognizing the vets for their service. This part of the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs 50 year commemoration of the war. Hyperlink to Above 12 - Daily Herald: Vietnam vets honored in special ceremony (29 March, Golbert R. Boucher II, 1.5M online visitors/mo; Arlington Heights, IL) Still feeling the pain of his return home after serving in Vietnam, Medal of Honor recipient Allen Lynch said it was with mixed feelings that he attended Tuesday's commemoration one of America's longest wars. "I'm kind of torn. This commemoration for me is a double-edge sword. On the one hand, I really don't want to have a commemoration of the Vietnam War. I've just been able to put a lot of those things to bed. Hyperlink to Above 13 - KOTV (CBS-6, Video): Vietnam War Veterans Given ‘Welcome Home’ Party In Muskogee (29 March, Rick Wells, 1.4M online visitors/mo; Tulsa, OK) Many Vietnam veterans have stories of not being treated very well when they came home from the war, but that wasn’t the case Tuesday. The Muskogee VA Regional Benefits Office hosted a huge welcome home party for Vietnam War veterans. "This is something we've been planning for quite some time," Jacob Nichols said. Hyperlink to Above 14 - WAVY (NBC-10, Video): Hampton Roads events honor Vietnam War veterans (29 March, Kevin Green, 1.2M online visitors/mo; Portsmouth, VA) Events across the nation and in Hampton Roads Tuesday marked the 50 years since the Vietnam War. Veterans, local officials and families gathered at the Hampton VA Medical Center and Hampton National Cemetery for a commemoration and pinning ceremony. Vietnam Veteran


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Lewis Richardson told WAVY.com, “It’s a real honor. It was a long time before we were really recognized when we got back, and it really is an honor. Hyperlink to Above 15 - Stars and Stripes: Carter, McDonald pay tribute to vets on Vietnam Veterans Day (29 March, Carlos Bongioanni, 1.2M online visitors/mo; Washington, DC) Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Bob McDonald honored veterans Tuesday at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. After a wreath-laying ceremony, Carter and McDonald attached Vietnam Veteran lapel pins on about two dozen veterans lined up along the memorial wall. Hyperlink to Above 16 - The Seattle Times: Local Vietnam vets honored in Seattle (29 March, 1M online visitors/mo; Seattle, WA) Some 75 Vietnam War veterans on Tuesday in Seattle received lapel pins featuring a gold eagle at an event organized by the VA Puget Sound Healthcare and Veterans Benefits Administration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the conflict. The commemoration, authorized by a 2008 act of Congress, began in 2012 and runs through 2025. It is intended to honor and thank the veterans for their service and sacrifice. Hyperlink to Above 17 - The Palm Beach Post: Vietnam vets honored at VA’s marking of war’s 50th anniversary (29 March, Jorge Milian, 961k online visitors/mo; West Palm Beach, FL) The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center honored about 125 Vietnam War veterans Tuesday during an event marking 50th anniversary commemorations at veterans affairs facilities around the country. President Barack Obama issued a proclamation four years ago calling for a 13-year program to recognize Vietnam vets that will run through Veterans Day 2025. Hyperlink to Above 18 - WTXF (FOX-29, Video): FOX 29 Investigates: Vet's Gravestone Left By Dumpster (29 March, Jeff Cole, 751k online visitors/mo; Philadelphia, PA) On Tuesday, the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, a time of great unrest and upheaval in America. FOX 29's Jeff Cole tells the story of a Vietnam veteran's grave marker found tossed aside in a Philadelphia neighborhood, and how residents reached out to us to help, looking for a way to get the stone in the hands of the proper authorities. Hyperlink to Above 19 - WCSH (NBC-6, Video): VA honors, thanks Vietnam veterans (29 March, Don Carrigan, 706k online visitors/mo; Portland, ME) America's most recent military veterans—those from Afghanistan and Iraq—continue to be welcomed home and receive help with jobs and emotions support from both government and private business groups. But many of America’s Vietnam veterans say they still feel the hurt of being ignored many years ago. Hyperlink to Above


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20 - KJRH (NBC-2): Hundreds of Vietnam veterans were honored across Tulsa (29 March, 585k online visitors/mo; Tulsa, OK) Hundreds of Vietnam veterans were honored across Tulsa. At the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 577, more than 50 servicemen were honored by the Department of the Veterans Affairs. It was a full program with the presentation of colors, national anthem and opening remarks. Toward the end, the VA staff presented official "Vietnam War Commemoration" lapel pins to all veterans. Hyperlink to Above 20 - Florida Today (Video): National Cemetery honors Vietnam veterans (29 March, R. Norman Moody, 561k online visitors/mo; Melbourne, FL)Veterans left the Vietnam War Commemoration 50th Anniversary ceremony this afternoon at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims, decades after the war ended, satisfied they were finally being recognized. The event, which attracted several hundred people, was held to thank and honor Vietnam War veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States. Hyperlink to Above 21 - KAKE (ABC-10, Video): Vietnam vets honored at VA forum (29 March, Mike Iuen, 535k online visitors/mo; Wichita, KS) There have been forums held at the VA before but this one is special -- recognizing Vietnam veterans more than 50 years after the state of the war. The Director of the VA regional office, Karen Townsend spoke to the crowd, her voice cracking as she spoke to the Vets. "To honor the 58,307 service members who never came home," said a tearful Townsend. "I'm going to get emotional." Hyperlink to Above 22 - Ventura County Star: Shunned decades ago, Vietnam vets are honored and thanked (29 March, Tom Kisken, 529k online visitors/mo; Camarillo, CA) At the front of a room filled with Vietnam veterans, a blue banner offered this message Tuesday: "A grateful nation thanks and honors you." Bill Rowley, wearing his Army 1st Calvary Division cap, remembered people glaring at him as he walked through a San Francisco airport on his way back from the Vietnam War in 1970. Hyperlink to Above 23 - KTXL (FOX-40, Video): Sacramento VA Hospital Expands Emergency Department (29 March, Lonnie Wong, 512k online visitors/mo; Sacramento, CA) The Sacramento Veterans Affairs Hospital at Mather Field used the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War to dedicate its expanded emergency department on Tuesday. Several hundred veterans and their families cheered as VA Medical Center director David Stockwell announced that an agreement with Sacramento County would soon allow ambulances to bring vet patients to the new facility. Hyperlink to Above 24 - Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo VA unveils new emergency department (29 March, Aaron Davis, 488k online visitors/mo; Amarillo, TX)


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On Tuesday, the Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center cut the ribbon on its new $5 million, 8,200-square-foot emergency department as the nation commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. “This facility has been some 10 years in the making, and right down the hill we have new construction taking place. Friends, this is not money wasted,” said Charles Morris, President of the North Plains chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America. Hyperlink to Above 25 - Tucson News Now: Southern AZ VA honors Vietnam veterans with ceremony (29 March, Christine Pae, 447k online visitors/mo; Tucson, AZ) Dozens of people paid tribute to southern Arizona veterans on Tuesday as part of a ceremony to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System - Tucson campus hosted a ceremony, which honored veterans who served during the Vietnam War and in other calls of duty. Hyperlink to Above 26 - WWAY (ABC-3, Video): 50th Anniversary of Vietnam War Commemorated in the Port City (29 March, Alexa Block, 428k online visitors/mo; Wilmington, NC) The Wilmington community joined communities across the country to honor Vietnam veterans Tuesday morning. U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald designated March 29, 2016 as a day of commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. Hyperlink to Above 27 - Erie Times-News: Hundreds attend special ceremony honoring Erie-area Vietnam War veterans (29 March, Gerry Weiss, 427k online visitors/mo; Erie, PA) Snyder was one of more than 400 people who attended a special ceremony Tuesday at the Erie County Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The event, which lasted about 30 minutes, paid tribute to area Vietnam War veterans. "There is a lot of fellowship here, a lot of camaraderie," said Bruce Baker, 68, of Corry. "Being with guys who were in the same place you were way back then, well, it means a lot." Hyperlink to Above 28 - The Commercial Appeal: Memphis area veterans, citizens honor 50th anniversary of Vietnam War (29 March, Kayleigh Skinner, 408k online visitors/mo; Memphis, TN) Vietnam veteran Jim Latham wiped tears from his eyes during a ceremony inside the theater of the Memphis VA Medical Center Tuesday morning. Latham and more than 100 other veterans and their families attended the Vietnam War 50th anniversary commemoration ceremony. "It gives us peace to some extent, but it also hurts real deep for the ones who didn't come back," said Latham, an Army veteran…” Hyperlink to Above 29 - WCYB (NBC-5): Vietnam veterans honored for 50th anniversary (29 March, Olivia Bailey, 402k online visitors/mo; Bristol, VA) Tuesday, the country remembered the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam war. Veterans all over the nation taking time to honor those who served during the era. Nearly 2,500 Vietnam veterans are laid to rest at the Mountain Home National Cemetery in Johnson City. The military members


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honored by friends, families, and partners in combat as each individual name was read by one of 50 volunteers. Hyperlink to Above 30 - WHO (NBC-13, Video): Iowa Vietnam War Veterans to be Honored Tuesday (29 March, 355k online visitors/mo; Des Moines, IA) Iowans are coming together Tuesday to honor Vietnam War veterans. Tuesday afternoon, Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense are commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. They'll be holding a recognition ceremony to thank Iowans who fought in the war. That's at 2:00 p.m. at the VA Medical Center at 3600 30th Street. Hyperlink to Above 31 - WXOW (ABC-19, Video): Tomah VA honors its Vietnam Vets (29 March, Ginna Roe, 351k online visitors/mo; La Crescent, MN) The Tomah VA honored its Vietnam Veterans Tuesday, giving them the thanks the never received when they came home from war. It's all a part of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. Hundreds of Vietnam Vets were at the VA for the commemoration ceremony. All veterans who served on active duty from November 1st, 1955 to May 15th,1975 were invited to join. Hyperlink to Above 32 - The Modesto Bee: Modesto-area Vietnam veterans thanked for their sacrifice, forgiveness (29 March, Deke Farrow, 319k online visitors/mo; Modesto, CA) In a 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War, nearly 500 veterans of that conflict received pins, challenge coins and belated messages of “Thank you” and “Welcome home.” The event Tuesday afternoon at John Thurman Field began with the veterans parading into the ballfield to a reception of cheers, whistles and signs that read “We honor you,” “We support our troops” and more. Hyperlink to Above 33 - WLUC (NBC-6, Video): Vietnam Veterans are not forgotten (29 March, Monique Lopez, 315k online visitors/mo; Negaunee, MI) It's been 50 years since the Vietnam War and the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain held a ceremony, honoring Vietnam War veterans. Vietnam veterans were all presented with Vietnam War Commemoration Pins at the event. Displays of Vietnam War timelines, maps and memorabilia ignited memories of a war and time all veterans there share. Hyperlink to Above 34 - Montgomery Advertiser: CAVHCS to host commemorative Vietnam War ceremony (29 March, Rebecca Burylo, 301k online visitors/mo; Montgomery, AL) Tuesday marks the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War, and veterans and their families are welcomed to attend a special commemorative ceremony in their honor at Montgomery’s Central Alabama Health Care System on Perry Hill Road at 11 a.m. Hyperlink to Above


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35 - Billings Gazette: 'Welcome home': Billings remembers the Vietnam War 50 years later (29 March, Matt Hudson, 282k online visitors/mo; Billings, MT) War veterans stood as the band played the service songs of each U.S. military branch at a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Backed by the Billings Central Catholic High School band, the event took place Tuesday at the Billings VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic. A large crowd of veterans and supporters filled the facility's long lobby. Hyperlink to Above 36 - WJHL (CBS-11, Video): Vietnam Veterans honored during VA ceremony (29 March, Douglas Counts, 272k online visitors/mo; Johnson City, TN) There was a special ceremony this morning for Vietnam era veterans at the VA in Johnson City. The Department of Veterans Affairs Mountain Home National Cemetery honored the service, sacrifice, and enduring achievements of the Vietnam Veterans during a Vietnam War Commemoration 50th Anniversary ceremony. 2,444 Vietnam era veterans are laid to rest at the Mountain Home Cemetery. Hyperlink to Above 37 - Duluth News-Tribune: Vietnam vets to be celebrated today at Depot (29 March, 254k online visitors/mo; Duluth, MN) It's hoped hundreds of vets from Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin will attend with friends and family, as well as surviving family members of servicemen killed in action. Veterans Affairs staff will be on hand to offer information on services for anyone who asks. Radio host and Vietnam veteran Brad Bennett is the emcee, and Duluth Mayor Emily Larson is scheduled to speak. Other elected officials have been invited. Hyperlink to Above 38 - KCEN (NBC-6): Local Vietnam Veterans Honored During VA's 50th Vietnam War (29 March, 254k online visitors/mo; Eddy, TX) Community members formed two lines to make a walkway outside the Temple VA Hospital on Tuesday. Eagerly, they waved their American flags as Vietnam Veterans walked through the crowd. As each passed, they smiled and thanked them for their service and sacrifice. It was the homecoming they never received when returning from war. Even though it was decades late, the VA wanted to make sure these veterans felt appreciated for serving their country. Hyperlink to Above 39 - WKRN (ABC-2): Vietnam veterans honored at Nashville Cemetery (29 March, 252k online visitors/mo; Nashville, TN) Vietnam War Veterans will be honored at a special ceremony at the Nashville National Cemetery on Tuesday. The event will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War and honor veterans of the war. Representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs will pin special Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins to each Vietnam veteran in attendance. Hyperlink to Above 40 - KVII (ABC-7, Video): Amarillo VA honors veterans on 50th anniversary of Vietnam War (29 March, Jillian Idle, 247k online visitors/mo; Amarillo, TX)


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The Amarillo VA honored Vietnam Veterans in the Texas Panhandle during an event Tuesday afternoon, marking the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. President Barack Obama in 2012 declared March 29th as Vietnam Veterans Day. "There's a lot of us, we would be vegetables if it wasn't for each other to look out for each other, take care of each other," said veteran Hank Dompe. Hyperlink to Above 41 - Winston-Salem Journal (Video): Vietnam veterans' service honored during ceremony in Kernersville (29 March, John Hinton, 246k online visitors/mo; Winston Salem, NC) Nearly 400 people attended a commemoration Tuesday of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, a conflict that deeply divided the United States. The Salisbury Veterans Affairs Medical and the Veterans Benefits Administration Regional Office held the ceremony in the recently opened Kernersville VA Health Care Center at 1695 Kernersville Medical Parkway. Hyperlink to Above 42 - WECT (NBC-6): Flag honors Vietnam veterans in Wilmington, across the country (29 March, 236k online visitors/mo; Wilmington, NC) A flag will honor Vietnam veterans in Wilmington and across the country. A small ceremony celebrating those war veterans took place in downtown Wilmington Tuesday morning. More than 9,000 organizations across the country are flying flags to honor them, according to Marie Ashworth with the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Hyperlink to Above 43 - The Shreveport Times (Video): Vietnam vets honored for their sacrifices (29 March, Lex Talamo, 218k online visitors/mo; Shreveport, LA) Toby Mathew, Overton Brooks VA Medical Center's medical director and one of the ceremony's keynote speakers, spoke to how Vietnam veterans often returned home from years of service to be blamed for the war and mocked, despite having served more days in combat — an average 240 days of the year— than those who served at any other time in U.S. history. Hyperlink to Above 44 - WSLS (NBC-10, Video): Veterans honored in pinning ceremony on Vietnam Veterans Day (29 March, Erin Brookshier, 199k online visitors/mo; Roanoke, VA) Vietnam Veterans will be honored at a special pinning ceremony tonight in honor of Vietnam Veterans Day. On March 29, 1973, the last combat soldiers left Vietnam and one year later, March 29 was declared Vietnam Veterans Day by President Richard Nixon. Tonight a big commemoration ceremony will take place at the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center to thank and honor the men and women who served our country during the Vietnam War era. Hyperlink to Above 45 - KUSI (TV-9): VA San Diego thanks Vietnam War Veterans (29 March, 188k online visitors/mo; San Diego, CA) It has been more than 60 years since the beginning of the war in Vietnam and Tuesday, the nation is recognizing veterans with a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. In San Diego Veterans Affairs (VA) offices are hosting a free ceremony to recognize veterans who served in the war that lasted almost 20 years.


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Hyperlink to Above 46 - Kennebec Journal: Togus ceremony honors Vietnam vets, families, The facility was one of more than 300 places across the country to commemorate those who served in Vietnam (29 March, Charles Eichacker, 170k online visitors/mo; Augusta, ME) Nearly 200 people gathered at the state’s only veterans’ hospital Tuesday for a ceremony honoring those who served in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. The event was one of many held across the country as part of a national effort launched by President Barack Obama in 2012 to commemorate Vietnam veterans and their families. The more than 9 million Americans who served in that war… Hyperlink to Above 47 - WLBC (NBC-2, Video): VA honors, thanks Vietnam veterans (29 March, 169k online visitors/mo; Bangor, ME) America's most recent military veterans—those from Afghanistan and Iraq—continue to be welcomed home and receive help with jobs and emotions support from both government and private business groups. But many of America’s Vietnam veterans say they still feel the hurt of being ignored many years ago. Hyperlink to Above 48 - KVOA (NBC-4): Tucson Vietnam veterans honored on 50th anniversary (29 March, 166k online visitors/mo; Tucson, AZ) Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. It was a day of reflection and gratitude at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, where officials hosted a ceremony honoring local Vietnam veterans. More than 100 vets gathered to hear war stories, and to receive special commemoration pins in honor of the anniversary. Hyperlink to Above 49 - Las Cruces Sun-News: Veterans honored during 50th anniversary of Vietnam War (29 March, Steve Ramierz, 149k online visitors/mo; Las Cruces, NM) Hundreds of southern New Mexico veterans were honored Tuesday for their military service during the Vietnam War. One by one, in loud or soft voices, they stood before a large gathering inside American Legion Post 10 and said their name, branch of military service, and the unit, and time, they served in Vietnam. There were applause and often cheers, and some shouts, after their brief introductions. Hyperlink to Above 50 - Temple Daily Telegram: VA honors Vietnam veterans (29 March, Janice Gibbs, 123k online visitors/mo; Temple, TX) Richard Bosley served 14 months in Vietnam in the Army, beginning in 1971. He doesn’t share much information about his service because he was in a special security group working out of Da Nang. “I saw some action, serving in a couple of operations,” Bosley said. “That’s where I won my Bronze Star.” Hyperlink to Above


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51 - WHAG (NBC-4, Video): Vietnam veterans honored at VA Medical Center (29 March, Kyle Boulier, 118k online visitors/mo; Hagerstown, MD) Vietnam veterans were recognized at a special 50th anniversary ceremony at the VA Medical Center in Martinsburg on Tuesday. The ceremony recognized the sacrifices the men made while serving in the war. "That sacrifice, that commitment is no different than any other service, and we want to make sure that they know that we welcome them home," said Timothy Cooke, the director of the medical center. Hyperlink to Above 52 - The Southern Illinoisan: 'Time to forgive': Marion VA honors Vietnam veterans (29 March, Nick Mariano, 115k online visitors/mo; Carbondale, IL) Schryer, of Flora, served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970. He made his remarks at a Marion VA Medical Center event to honor veterans of the tumultuous era. The Medical Center was recently selected by the Department of Defense as a partner in commemorating the war to recognize its veterans on Tuesday, VA Medical Center spokeswoman Beth Lamb said as she and volunteers greeted their guests. Hyperlink to Above 53 - WLOS (ABC-13, Video): 50th Anniversary ceremony: Vietnam veterans to be honored (29 March, Kristy Steward, 109k online visitors/mo; Ashville, NC) A ceremony Tuesday in Asheville will honor local Vietnam veterans on the 50th anniversary of the war. Congressman Mark Meadows and the director of Asheville's VA Medical Center are expected to speak, along retired superintendent of Buncombe County Schools, Clifton Dodson. Dodson is a Vietnam veteran himself. Hyperlink to Above 54 - WLOS (ABC-13, Video): Thankless service: Vietnam Vets recognized during observance of 50th anniversary (29 March, John Le, 109k online visitors/mo; Asheville, NC) A ceremony at the George VA Medical Center to observe the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War provided a sense of healing for some who served. Many say it took far too long for America to get to this point. "And they'll say, 'Thank you, sir, for your service,'" Tony Hensley of Fletcher said of the gratitude he often sees from the public. Hyperlink to Above 55 - The Batavian: Batavia VA Center, 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Vietnam War event today at 2 at Batavia VA center (29 March, Billie Owens, 98k online visitors/mo; Batavia, NY) VA Western New York Healthcare System is a Federal commemorative partner for The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. One of the main objectives of these events is to give a long overdue thanks to honor Vietnam Veterans and their families, including personnel who were held prisoners of war or listed as missing in action. Hyperlink to Above 56 - KFDA (CBS-10, Video): VA Emergency Department ribbon cutting and Vietnam War commemoration (29 March, Angelica Brown, 87k online visitors/mo; Amarillo, TX)


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The new facility includes an ambulance entrance, two quiet rooms, three trauma rooms and three exam rooms. Space at the event will be limited. Guest speakers include Amarillo Mayor Paul Harpole and Texas State Council on Vietnam Veterans member Luther “Buster” Newberry, as well as support from the Amarillo Vet Center. Hyperlink to Above 57 - WCJB (ABC-20, Video): Vietnam veterans swap stories at 50 year anniversary event (29 March, 84k online visitors/mo; Gainesville, FL) The Vietnam War is considered one of the most unpopular wars in American history. Mueller didn't tell anyone about her serice until 13 years ago when she joined the Malcom Randall VA in the physical medicine and rehabilitation department. Hyperlink to Above 58 - KPNX (NBC-12): Events around the country held to honor Vietnam vets (29 March, 74k online visitors/mo; Phoenix, AZ) Hundreds of events were held across the U.S. on Tuesday to commemorate Vietnam Veterans Day, an unofficial observance that marks the final withdrawal of combat units and support personnel from South Vietnam in 1973. Part of an ongoing effort to honor U.S. troops who served during the Vietnam War era, the events — from a wreath laying by Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Hyperlink to Above 59 - Clayton News Daily: Vietnam Veterans Day celebrated in Jonesboro (29 March, Joe Adgie, 67k online visitors/mo; Jonesboro, GA) “It’s just something that I like to participate in, because I was a Vietnam veteran, I served two one-year combat terms as an infantryman in Vietnam, and I thought I should attend something,” said Jim Carberry, who also planned to attend another event in Henry County that morning. March 29 was marked as Vietnam Veterans Day by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Celebrations occured throughout the day to honor veterans of the conflict. Hyperlink to Above 60 - The Herald-Mail: Martinsburg VA Medical Center welcomes Vietnam vets home (29 March, 54k online visitors/mo; Hagerstown, MD) They were in their mid-60s to mid-70s, a quiet bunch of veterans whose war ended a half-century ago, gathered together Tuesday in a small cafeteria at the Martinsburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center to hear a belated "welcome home." It was a long-overdue greeting for veterans who came home from Vietnam and often were greeted with jeers and insults by fellow Americans opposed to the war who didn't believe their sacrifices mattered. Hyperlink to Above 61 - Leavenworth Times: Vietnam veterans honored during ceremony (29 March, John Richmeier, 51k online visitors/mo; Leavenworth, KS) Recognition offered Tuesday to Vietnam veterans has been a longtime coming, the director of local national cemeteries said. Kevin Johnson, director of the Leavenworth National Cemetery


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Complex, was the keynote speaker during a commemoration ceremony of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Hyperlink to Above 62 - WTVQ (ABC-36): Dept. of Veterans Affairs Honors Vietnam Vets at Camp Nelson (29 March, 50k online visitors/mo; Lexington, KY) On Tuesday, central Kentucky commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam war today at Camp Nelson National Cemetery in Jessamine Co. The Department of Veterans Affairs honored the service and sacrifice of Vietnam veterans, many of whom didn’t come home from war to a heroes welcome decades ago. Today, veterans across central Kentucky were honored with a presidential proclamation. Hyperlink to Above 63 - WVUA (TV-23): Tuscaloosa VA Honors Vietnam Veterans (29 March, Katherine Robinson, 48k online visitors/mo; Tuscaloosa, AL) “In this 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, the Department of Veterans Affairs has partnered with the Department of Defense to recognize and thank Vietnam veterans for their service and sacrifices to our nation,” said Tuscaloosa VA Spokesperson, Damon Stevenson. “VA medical facilities across the country will host events to thank and honor our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.” Hyperlink to Above 64 - KAMR (NBC-4, Video): Amarillo VA Opens New ER (29 March, Natasha Lackey, 34k online visitors/mo; Amarillo, TX) Providing better healthcare while honoring our veterans; that was the focus today at the Thomas E. Creek Hospital. To help commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, several Hometown Heroes were honored today by the VA. Hyperlink to Above 65 - WGFL (CBS-28, Video): Gainesville VA Host Vietnam War Commemoration (29 March, Alicia Tarancon, 33k online visitors/mo; Gainesville, FL) The VA held a special event to honor the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. "It's just I'm overwhelmed, I'm just excited about being here to just rub shoulders again with some old Vietnam Veterans, I mean it's priceless and I appreciate the people who put this together, because they really do have insight foresight and good sight," says Army Vietnam Veteran Harold Williams. Hyperlink to Above 66 - WBTA (AM-1490): VA Center in Batavia host to 50th anniversary commemoration of Vietnam War (29 March, 29k online visitors/mo; Batavia, NY) Schollard went onto speak of the exclusive brotherhood that he joined called the Vietnam Vets and how they have persevered not only through the horrors of War but in making many improvements to the VA system. Hyperlink to Above


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67 - WBUP (ABC-10, Video): 50th Commemoration of Vietnam War honors Veterans (29 March, Arah Mac, 27k online visitors/mo; Ishpeming, MI) Officials from the Veterans Center in Escanaba and the Oscar J. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain held ceremonies in their respective areas Tuesday morning to honor Vietnam combat veterans and Vietnam era veterans. The programs included speeches from veterans– some sharing memories from the past, others looking towards the future, each an emotional experience. Hyperlink to Above 68 - KGNC (Westwood One-97.9, Audio): VA Cuts Ribbon on New Emergency Department (29 March, Julie Thompson, 9k online visitors/mo; Amarillo, TX) It was with a little bit of luck that a new state-of-the-art emergency department at the Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center would be ready to open on the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam war. The Amarillo VA Healthcare System cut the ribbon for the new ER on Tuesday afternoon with a small ceremony including guest speakers Mayor Paul Harpole and Texas State Council on Vietnam Veterans member Luther “Buster” Newberry. Hyperlink to Above 30 March 1 - Chicago Tribune: Lake County veterans remember return home from Vietnam War (30 March, Emily K. Coleman, 13.5M online visitors/mo; Chicago, IL) In a statement announcing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' participation, VA Secretary Robert McDonald said, "Our nation's Vietnam War Commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor, and thank our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices during one of America's longest wars." Hyperlink to Above 2 - Omaha World-Herald: 'This really helps': More than 40 years after the war ended, Vietnam-era veterans are welcomed home (30 March, Steve Liewer, 2.4M online visitors/mo; Omaha, NE) The small peace offering helped — just a little — to soothe decades-old wounds for about 85 Vietnam-era veterans from Nebraska and western Iowa who gathered Tuesday at Bellevue University for an overdue homecoming celebration. “You were met with indifference at best and contempt at worst,” said John Hilgert, director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs. “I want to say thank you. And I want to say, ‘Welcome home.’ ” Hyperlink to Above 3 - KFVS (CBS-12, Video): Paducah chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution hold Vietnam Commemoration ceremony (30 March, Joshua Murray, 481k online visitors/mo; Cape Girardeau, MO) The Paducah Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution held a "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Commemoration" ceremony at Dolly McNutt Memorial Plaza in Paducah, Kentucky on Tuesday, March 29. Hyperlink to Above


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4 - WFED (AM-1500): Veterans mark 50th anniversary of Vietnam War (30 March, Michael O’Connell, 441k online visitors/mo; Washington, DC) Veterans gathered at VA facilities around the country, as well as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments joined together Tuesday to honor the nearly 9 million Americans who serviced in the Armed Forces from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, as part of the Vietnam War Commemoration. The event marked the 50th anniversary of the war. Hyperlink to Above 5 - WHIO (CBS-7): The Dayton VA Medical Center to honor Vietnam Veterans today (30 March, 273k online visitors/mo; Dayton, OH) The Dayton VA Medical Center will host a Vietnam War 50th Commemoration & Pinning Ceremony at 10 a.m. today. The event will be held at the Protestant Chapel on the Dayton VA campus. The Dayton VA invites all Vietnam Veterans, their family members and the general public to attend the ceremony. Hyperlink to Above 6 - WKBT (CBS-8): Tomah VA holds grand opening for new building, Recreation Therapy Building now open (30 March, 234k online visitors/mo; La Crosse, WI) The Tomah VA Medical Center held a ceremony for the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War in a new recreation therapy building, which also held it's grand opening on Tuesday. The Tomah VA's public affairs officer says the timing for the ceremony and the grand opening to happen on the same day was "serendipitous". Hyperlink to Above 7 - Daily Messenger: Canandaigua area Vietnam War veterans thanked for service, The Canandaigua VA Medical Center was among many throughout the nation that hosted commemoration ceremonies for those who served during the Vietnam War years (30 March, Mike Murphy, 226k online visitors/mo; Canandaigua, NY) A ceremony like this is a good thing, he said. “It’s nice they’re recognizing Vietnam veterans for what they did,” Morgan said. And Rappl believes their heroic and courageous efforts in Vietnam deserve to be ranked with the great battles of Iwo Jima, Normandy and others in World War II. Hyperlink to Above 8 - Livingston Daily Press & Argus: Vietnam vets honored, 50 years later (30 March, Wayne Peal, 218k online visitors/mo; Howell, MI) "It's nice to get recognition like this, after all these years," said Art Six, of Pinckney, who was one of more than 175 Vietnam War veterans honored Tuesday during ceremonies in Genoa Township. During the ceremony, veterans from all branches of service receive congressionally authorized lapel pins commemorating the 50th anniversary of U.S. involvement in the Southeast Asia conflict. Hyperlink to Above


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9 - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Vietnam War vets mark 50 years, ‘Thanks for your service,’ welcomes 100 to NLR center (30 March, Hunter Field, 164k online visitors/mo; Little Rock, AR) About 100 veterans attended the event, which was coordinated by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 184, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, the VA Regional office in Little Rock and the Veterans Center North Little Rock. Surrounded by flags of each branch of the military and the many veterans organizations, the men shook hands, swapped stories and paid tribute to those who never returned to American soil. Hyperlink to Above 10 - MetroNews: West Virginia says ‘thanks’ to Vietnam War veterans (30 March, Shauna Johnson, 147k online visitors/mo; Charleston, WV) “Thank you for your service” and “welcome home” were phrases heard often Wednesday at the State Capitol where the sun was shining during the 5th Annual West Virginia Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day. “Anybody we walk by, it’s ‘welcome home,’ (we shake) their hand, give them a hug and thank them for their service,” said David Simmons, president of the Vietnam Veterans of America West Virginia chapter. Hyperlink to Above 11 - Rapid City Journal: Veterans remember Vietnam War (30 March, Mike Anderson, 129k online visitors/mo; Rapid City, SD) When it started Tuesday morning, the singing was a barely audible murmur beneath the brassy instrumentals of the Star Spangled Banner ringing through the speakers of the shelter house at the Black Hills National Cemetery. With arms cocked in salute, the 100 or so veterans of the Vietnam War gathered to blend their voices to begin the commemoration of the war's 50th anniversary, a rolling anniversary that will continue each March until 2025… Hyperlink to Above 12 - KBJR (NBC-6, Video): Depot event celebrates Vietnam Veterans on 50th anniversary of the war (30 March, Mackenzie Scott, 102k online visitors/mo; Duluth, MN) It's been about 50 years since the Vietnam War, and the Department of Veteran Affairs has attributed March 29th as a day to remember the war and its veterans. The Duluth Depot is hosted a Thank-You Celebration for Northland Vietnam Veterans Tuesday. Hyperlink to Above 13 - The Herald-Dispatch: Vietnam vets honored at anniversary commemoration (30 March, Lacie Pierson, 102k online visitors/mo; Huntington, WV) A warm welcome awaited Vietnam War veterans Tuesday afternoon at the Huntington VA Medical Center. Nearly 200 local leaders, community members, VA staff and veterans alike filled the center's Recreation Hall to show their appreciation and respect for those who fought in the war, which is in the midst of a years-long commemoration of the 50th anniversary. Hyperlink to Above 14 - The Savannah Tribune: VA Outpatient Clinics Honor Vietnam Era Veterans During 50th Anniversary Commemoration (30 March, 46k online visitors/mo; Savannah, GA)


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The Savannah and Hinesville VA Outpatient Clinics will honor local Vietnam Veterans on March 29 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. by distributing 50th Anniversary Commemorative pins to Vietnam Era Veterans as VA thanks them for their service and extends a proper welcome home. All Vietnam Era Veterans are welcome to come and receive their pin. Hyperlink to Above 15 - Black Hills Pioneer: Vietnam vets receive thanks. BH National Cemetery hosts 50th anniversary commemoration (30 March, Jason Gross, 41k online visitors/mo; Spearfish, SD) “We reflect with solemn reverence upon the valor of a generation that served with honor,” Gregory Pietz, cemetery representative at Department of Veterans Affairs and retired U.S. Army, read from a presidential proclamation at the Black Hills National Cemetery, where a Tuesday ceremony marked the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Each veteran in attendance received a handshake and commemorative lapel pin during the ceremony. Hyperlink to Above 16 - Kirksville Daily Express: Ann Haynes Chapter of National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution commemorate Vietnam War vets, families (30 March, 28k online visitors/mo; Kirksville, MO) When the last American combat troops left Vietnam 43 years ago, their return home was far from triumphant, said Linda Hudnall, regent for the Ann Haynes Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Still today, groups like NSDAR are trying to rectify that. Hyperlink to Above 17 - WRSP (FOX-55, Video): VA Commemorates the 50th Vietnam War Anniversary (30 March, Em Nguyen, 19k online visitors/mo; Springfield, IL) The VA Illiana Health Care System in Danville held an event on campus to commemorate the war veterans. Every VA in the nation celebrated Vietnam veterans from all across the country. Danville VA decided also to dedicate two new monuments on campus to those who served in Vietnam. At the ceremony, there were many veterans who reflected on their years in war. A sound all too familiar to Larry Wilson who served in the Vietnam War. Hyperlink to Above 18 - WVAH (FOX-11, Video): Vietnam War veterans gather at West Virginia Capitol for reunion (30 March, Jeffrey Morris and Brooke Thibodaux, 9k online visitors/mo; Charleston, WV) A special ceremony saying thank you and recognizing Vietnam veterans took place at the West Virginia Capitol. Keynote speaker Cecil Roberts said this day of recognition was actually set aside five years ago. "Time dictates everything to us really. This is really the fifth anniversary of this, but every single person here knows the day they went to Vietnam and every single person knows the day they came home from Vietnam," Roberts said. Hyperlink to Above 19 - Redstone Rocket: Veterans center honors Vietnam vets for their service (30 March, Jason Cutshaw, 6k online visitors/mo; Decatur, AL) Residents from across North Alabama gave Vietnam veterans a long-overdue “Welcome Home” last week and thanked them for their service. Huntsville community members and others came


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out to honor those who served in the jungles of Southeast Asia during the Madison County Vet Center Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War and Open House in Huntsville on March 24. Hyperlink to Above 31 March 1 - Battle Creek Enquirer: Letter: Thanking our Vietnam veterans (31 March, Brian Pogouske, 163k online visitors/mo; Battle Creek, MI) The Battle Creek VA Health Care Delivery System honored Vietnam veterans in honor of the 50th Anniversary Commemoration on Tuesday along with other VA facilities throughout the United States. This is a partnership with the Department of Defense 50th Anniversary Commemoration initiative to honor and thank the 7.2 million living Vietnam veterans and the 9 million families of those who served from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975. Hyperlink to Above 2 - WLOS (ABC-13, Video): Local veteran says federal program to reduce wait times is now part of the problem (31 March, John Le, 109k online visitors/mo; Asheville, NC) A Bryson City man says the federal program intended to fix the veterans' healthcare crisis now leaves him in a world of hurt. Veterans Choice was created in 2014 amidst the national outcry over wait times. "I just can't get out and do much of anything," John Stroud said, who says he can't walk far without radiating pain in his back. Hyperlink to Above 3 - CentralKYNews.com (Jessamine Journal): Welcome Home: Vietnam veterans honored as part of 50th anniversary commemoration (31 May, David Brock, 34k online visitors/mo; Danville, KY) There was more salt and pepper seasoning the crowd of military members gathered at Camp Nelson National Cemetery on Tuesday than your typical “welcome home” event for the troops. That’s what happens when a country takes five decades to extend the courtesy. Hyperlink to Above 4 - The Daily Reporter: Vietnam War commemoration held at courthouse (31 March, Jennifer Harris, 27k online visitors/mo; Coldwater, MI) The Coldwater Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, along with the Veterans Administration, held a ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War on Tuesday, March 29 in front of the Branch County Courthouse. Hyperlink to Above 1 April 1 - Chicago Tribune (Evanston Review): From the community: Evanston Vet Center and Evanston Public Library to host joint Vietnam War Commemorative event April 16 (1 April, 13.5M online visitors/mo; Chicago, IL)


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The Evanston Vet Center and the Evanston Public Library will jointly host a 50th commemorative event to honor Vietnam War Veterans on Saturday, April 16 at the Evanston Public Library. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense and thousands of other organizations across the country are joining together in the U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration to honor Vietnam Veterans throughout 2016… Hyperlink to Above 2 - WAVE (NBC-3): Vietnam Veterans honored at 50 year commemoration (1 April, Kelsey Graeter, 65k online visitors/mo; Louisville, KY) Veterans were honored and thanked for their service Thursday at the Vietnam War Commemoration 50 anniversary event. Thursday’s event at Robley Rex Veteran Affairs Medical Center marked the beginning of a series of events that will honor, thank and welcome home Vietnam veterans throughout the year. Robley Rex VAMC will partner with other organizations to host all events. Hyperlink to Above 2 April 1 - Omaha World-Herald: Editorial: Vietnam vets get a 'thank you.' When the local office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs threw a modest “welcome home” celebration this week for area veterans, it was much appreciated (2 April, 2.4M online visitors/mo; Omaha, NE) Those who served were often wrongly blamed for the politically toxic war. So when the local office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs threw a modest “welcome home” celebration this week for area veterans, it was much appreciated. The affair at Bellevue University included coffee, cookies and kudos. Hyperlink to Above 2 - Sun Herald: Pay respect to the veterans who earned it (2 April, Charles Fink, 745k online visitors/mo; Gulfport, MS) On March 29, my mom took me to the Biloxi National Cemetery's Vietnam Memorial Service. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but what happened made me both sad and proud. When we arrived at the service, we took our seats. As the Vietnam veterans started to arrive, I introduced myself and shook each one's hand. I thanked each veteran for their service. Hyperlink to Above 3 - Winston-Salem Journal: Our view: Vietnam vets deserve honors and recognition (2 April, 246k online visitors/mo; Winston Salem, NC) A commemoration was held Tuesday to salute the military veterans who served during the Vietnam War, 50 years past. The event was a strong reminder that we should reaffirm our commitment to these vets. Hyperlink to Above 4 - Daily Local News: Coatesville VA honors Vietnam veterans (2 April, Ginger Dunbar, 212k online visitors/mo; West Chester, PA)


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The Coatesville Veteran Affairs Medical Center honored Vietnam veterans Tuesday during its Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) conducted events nationwide on March 29 in VA facilities to recognize, honor and thank Vietnam War veterans for their service and sacrifices, as part of the national Vietnam War Commemoration. Hyperlink to Above 3 April 1 - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Some state lawmakers want permanent Vietnam veterans holiday (3 April, Brian C. Rittmeyer, 1.8M online visitors/mo; Warrendale, PA) A state recognition honoring the return of U.S. troops from Vietnam appears unlikely to become a permanent holiday. Instead, it will require lawmakers to approve a resolution each year for the commemoration, said Nate Silcox, executive director of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee. Hyperlink to Above 2 - Waco Tribune-Herald: Guest columnist: Providence Healthcare Network stepping up to help veterans access prompt health care (3 April, Steve Province, 287k online visitors/mo; Waco, TX) Among America’s greatest strengths are the women and men who put their lives on the line to defend our country. From the 18-year-old high school graduate who just enlisted, to all veterans who depend on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for health care and benefits, we have an obligation to serve those who serve us. Hyperlink to Above 3 - Whittier Daily News (San Gabriel Valley Tribune): Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day founder hosts last event in Whittier (3 April, Brian Day, 94k online visitors/mo; Whittier, CA) Fifteen years after launching a campaign to heal some of the nation’s historic wounds and honor Vietnam veterans for their service, Jose Ramos hosted his last Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day event in his hometown of Whittier, where it all began. Hyperlink to Above 4 April 1 - The Brownsville Herald: VA clinic to host commemorative ceremony for Vietnam era vets (4 April, 56k online visitors/mo; Brownsville, TX) “The VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System, Corpus Christi VA Clinics, will host a solemn ceremony in recognition of the Vietnam Era veterans,” the VA said in a statement. “Our nation’s Vietnam War commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor and thank our Vietnam Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices during one of America’s longest wars.” Hyperlink to Above


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5 April 1 - The Tampa Tribune: Medal of Honor recipient urges St. Pete crowd to help veterans (5 April, Howard Altman, 790k online visitors/mo; Tampa, FL) On Oct. 15, 1973, three men stood in the White House before President Richard Nixon as he bestowed upon them the Medal of Honor for valor and heroics in the Vietnam War. Tuesday morning at a C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center ceremony honoring Vietnam-era service, one of those men used the moment to link lessons learned then to the ongoing struggles of veterans and active-duty service members today. Hyperlink to Above 2 - The Tullahoma News: DAR marks 50th year of Vietnam War’s end (5 April, 600 online visitors/day; Tullahoma, TN) The Tullahoma Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) joined the national organization on Tuesday, March 29 in what was billed as a special day of remembrance for veterans of the Vietnam War. Hyperlink to Above 6 April 1 - KRIS (NBC-6, Video): Vietnam Veterans honored for their sacrifice at VA (6 April, Jose Martinez, 152k online visitors/mo; Corpus Christi, TX) The Coastal Bend Veterans Administration held a special commemorative ceremony Wednesday for Vietnam veterans. Many Vietnam veterans have said they feel they never received the recognition they deserved when they came home. The VA agrees and that's why they held the vent at the Veterans Administration clinic on Enterprise Parkway. Hyperlink to Above 2 - Evanston Roundtable: Vietnam War Commemoration (6 April, 11k online visitors/mo; Evanston, IL) The Evanston Vet Center and the Evanston Public Library will jointly host a commemorative event to honor Vietnam War Veterans at 1 p.m. on April 16 at the Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense and thousands of other organizations across the country are joining together in the U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration to honor Vietnam Veterans throughout 2016… Hyperlink to Above 3 - Lynbrook Herald: Recalling Vietnam, Veterans gather for 50th anniversary (6 April, Stephany Reyes, 2k online visitors/day; Garden City, NY) A cold, heavy rain couldn’t stop hundreds of veterans and supporters from gathering on April 2 at the Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale to remember the Vietnam War five decades earlier. Hostilities between the U.S. and North Vietnam erupted in 1965 when the National Liberation Front attacked an American base in South Vietnam, and retaliatory strikes were ordered.


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Hyperlink to Above 7 April 1 - Valley Morning Star: Thank you: Honoring Valley’s Vietnam Veterans (7 April, 4k online visitors/day; Harlingen, TX) The VA clinic here held a ceremony yesterday commemorating Vietnam War veterans. The main lobby was filled to capacity with veterans, family members and friends. Veterans received a Vietnam veteran commemorative lapel pin during a pinning ceremony. The lapel pin was presented to them to recognize and honor them for serving during the Vietnam War. Hyperlink to Above 2 - Valley Morning Star: Vietnam vets honored at ceremony (7 April, 4k online visitors/day; Harlingen, TX) The Harlingen Veterans Affairs clinic held a Vietnam Veterans commemorative ceremony this morning at the VA Health Care Center. Many veterans and their families were on hand for the ceremony. Hyperlink to Above 3 - Evanston Now: EPL to host Vietnam vets 50th anniversary event (7 April, Bill Smith, 1k online visitors/day; Evanston, IL) The Evanston Vet Center and the Evanston Public Library will host a 50th commemorative event to honor Vietnam War Veterans at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 16, at the library, 1703 Orrington Ave. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense and thousands of other organizations across the country are joining together in the U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration to honor Vietnam Veterans throughout 2016… Hyperlink to Above 8 April 1 - FOX News (Video): Report: VA bosses in 7 states manipulated vets' wait times (8 April, 23M online visitors/mo; New York, NY) In this four-minute video, Pete Hegseth interviews CVA’s Dan Caldwell on VA wait lists, accountability, and proposed legislation in Congress. Hyperlink to Above 2 - Newton Citizen: Local Vietnam veterans honored for service to country (8 April, Wade Marbaugh, 27k online visitors/mo; Conyers, GA) Covington resident Edward Foster has a youthful countenance for a Vietnam War veteran, but the former Air Force sergeant was present with 31 other aging veterans of that war Thursday in Conyers at a ceremony honoring them for their service to their country. Hyperlink to Above


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3 - Sun Focus: Vietnam veterans honored in New Brighton (8 April, Kassie Petermann, 3k online visitors/day; Osseo, MN) Vietnam veterans were honored during a welcome home ceremony in New Brighton on March 29. Across the United States last Tuesday, veterans who served during the Vietnam War were recognized. All Vet Centers were part of the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War. Hyperlink to Above 11 April 1 - Villages-News.com: Members of Puc Puggy Chapter NSDAR observe anniversary of end of Vietnam War (11 April, 14k online visitors/day; The Villages, FL) Members of the Puc Puggy Chapter NSDAR recently participated in two different events that were in commemoration of the end of the Vietnam War. The Puc Puggy Chapter NSDAR is a member of the Commemorative Partners Program established by the Department of Defense to honor those who served during the Vietnam war. Hyperlink to Above 13 April 1 - Rapid City Journal: Disabled American Veterans State Convention starts Friday (13 April, 129k online visitors/mo; Rapid City, SD) Members of the Disabled American Veterans from South Dakota will gather here starting Friday for their 77th annual department convention at the Rushmore Hotel and Suites, 445 Mount Rushmore Road. More than 100 DAV members, many of them disabled veterans of the Korean, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars, are expected to attend the convention, which ends Sunday. Hyperlink to Above 2 - KIII (ABC-3): Vietnam Era Veterans Commemorative Ceremony (13 April, 113k online visitors/mo; Corpus Christi, TX) The Veterans Affairs Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System partnered with the Corpus Christi VA Clinics to honor Vietnam veterans for their service during the 50th anniversary of the war. The formal ceremony included a presentation of collars to veterans and a special thank you from keynote speakers. Hyperlink to Above


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FULL TEXT 16 March

1 - Lafayette Journal & Courier: Letter: Will never forget Vietnam vets (16 March, Mary Nakhleh, 373k online visitors/mo; Lafayette, IN) On March 29, 1973, the United States ended its military involvement in Vietnam where 3 million servicemen and women bravely and courageously served our country for over a decade. Sadly, 58,282 American soldiers lost their lives, and another 303,644 Americans were wounded. The Indiana Daughters of the American Revolution are proud partners of the U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration that was established by the U.S. Veterans Affairs, along with the Department of Defense, to recognize, honor and thank our Vietnam veterans and their families for the service and sacrifice during one of America’s longest wars. On behalf of the General de Lafayette Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, we would like to add our voices to this worthy commemoration. To the Vietnam veterans of Greater Lafayette, we acknowledge your service and recognize the scars of war, visible and invisible. We offer our thanks and gratitude for the sacrifices you have made on behalf of our country. We understand that many continue to live with pain that never fades. We also remember the more than 1,600 service members still listed as missing. This chapter in American history must never be forgotten, so let this serve as a reminder to posterity that freedom comes with a heavy price tag for many, and that it is never too late to pay tribute to a generation of men and women who answered the call of duty with dignity and courage. It is with sincere gratitude that we offer you our respect, appreciation and loyalty. Mary Nakhleh Regent, General de Lafayette Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Back to Top 2 - WBUP (ABC-10, Video): Events planned to honor Vietnam War Veterans (16 March, 900 online visitors/day; Ely Township, MI) WASHINGTON — The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is set to honor those who fought in the Vietnam War. The events are set to take place nationwide on March 29th. Two events are scheduled here in the Upper Peninsula. The Escanaba Vets Center will honor veterans with a ceremony at American Legion Post 71 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Another event is scheduled at the Bay College West Campus in Iron Mountain beginning at 11:00 a.m., where memorabilia from the Hermansville Vietnam War Museum will be on display.


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The ceremonies all revolve around one thing: Thanking our veterans. “When they came back from their duty in Vietnam, they weren’t welcomed home very well. Our country had a very anti–war feeling at the time especially in the late 60’s,” said Brad Nelson, Public Affairs Officer for the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center. “It is a chance for us to say thanks and to really recognize them. We have our World War II generation passing at a higher and higher rate that our biggest population is the Vietnam Veterans,” Nelson added. The U.S. involvement in Vietnam lasted twenty years from 1955-1975. Back to Top 17 March 1 - WTVC (ABC-9): Chattanooga National Cemetery plans ceremony honoring Vietnam Veterans (17 March, 656k online visitors/mo; Chattanooga, TN) The Department of Veterans Affairs Chattanooga National Cemetery plans to honor the service, sacrifice, and enduring achievements of the Vietnam Veterans during a Vietnam War Commemoration 50th Anniversary event. The event will commemorate Vietnam War Veterans and each Vietnam Veteran will receive a Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin during a pinning ceremony as part of the event. The event will take place on March 29th at 12 p.m. at the foot of the Cemetery's flagpole. The keynote speaker will be William Sachse, MSgt, USAF, (ret). The lapel pins will be presented in a dignified manner to each Vietnam veteran during the event, and include accompanying remarks to reflect the nation's thanks for their service and sacrifice. Here are details about the pins: Back to Top 2 - The Chattanoogan.com: Chattanooga National Cemetery To Honor Vietnam Veterans (17 March, 147k online visitors/mo; Chattanooga, TN) The Department of Veterans Affairs Chattanooga National Cemetery will honor the service, sacrifice, and achievements of Vietnam Veterans during a Vietnam War Commemoration 50th Anniversary event on Tuesday, March 29 at noon. The event will commemorate Vietnam War Veterans and each Vietnam Veteran will receive a Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin during a pinning ceremony as part of the event.


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"The lapel pins will be presented in a dignified manner to each Vietnam veteran during the event, and include accompanying remarks to reflect the nation’s thanks for their service and sacrifice," officials said. For more information on the lapel pins, click here. The ceremony will take place at the foot of the flagpole. The keynote speaker will be William Sachse, MSgt, USAF, (ret). For more information, contact Mr. Sachse, program support assistant, at 423-855-6590. Back to Top 18 March 1 - Bradenton Herald: Vietnam-era veterans invited to welcome home commemoration at Patriot Plaza (18 March, James A. Jones Jr., 302k online visitors/mo; Bradenton, FL) MANATEE -- Uncle Sam wants you, Vietnam War-era veterans, to attend a commemoration ceremony at 5 p.m. March 29, where you will be thanked for your service. The ceremony is for all who served between Nov. 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975, whether in Vietnam or elsewhere. Retired Brig. Gen. James M. Hesson will be presenting a commemorative 50th anniversary pin inscribed on the reverse with "A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You" to each veteran who has not previously received one, said Ted Smith, president and chaplain of the Sarasota County Veterans Commission. Smith attended the Manatee County Veterans Council meeting Thursday to extend an invitation to the welcome home event set for Patriot Plaza at Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Road 72. After the meeting, Smith said the welcome home is appropriate, considering that most military personnel were told not to wear their uniform off post during the war, which had become divisive in the United States. "Some veterans organizations were not accepting Vietnam vets," Smith said. John Rosentrater, director of Sarasota National Cemetery, also attended Thursday's meeting and said that he is thrilled to be able to use Patriot Plaza to honor Vietnam-era veterans. "It's always a privilege to say thank you for your service and welcome home," Rosentrater said. At a recent Pittsburgh Pirates spring baseball game at McKechnie field, Veterans Affairs staff distributed 50th anniversary pins to Vietnam vets who were in the stands that day, Rosentrater said. "You could see the emotion rising," he said. The 50th anniversary commemoration was initiated by the 2008 Defense Authorization Act.


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The March 29 commemoration will include music, reading of a proclamation to welcome home Vietnam veterans, and a keynote address by a local resident who was a Vietnam Medevac helicopter pilot. His aircraft was shot down by an enemy missile, but he and his copilot survived the crash, and evaded capture for three days before being rescued. Members of a family whose Vietnam veteran is unable to attend or has passed away will also receive a commemorative pin. All Vietnam era veterans and their families are invited. In other business Thursday, the Manatee Concert Band offered to present a concert of patriotic music on Veterans Day to honor vets. The auditorium at Manatee High School has been reserved for the concert. Back to Top 2 - Muskogee Phoenix: Vietnam vets to be honored (18 March, 84k online visitors/mo; Muskogee, OK) Vietnam War veterans will receive a special welcome home from the Muskogee Veterans Affairs Regional Benefits Office. Veterans will be recognized for their valor, service and sacrifice on behalf of a grateful nation, according to a news release. The free event is open to the public and begins at 11 a.m. March 29 on the grounds outside the benefits office at 125 S. Main St. Families are encouraged to attend. Representatives for VA benefits and services will be present, along with veteran service organizations and other non-profit organizations that support Vietnam War veterans and their families. An official Vietnam War commemoration lapel pin will be awarded to Vietnam veterans. A free lunch for Vietnam War veterans in attendance will include a hot dog, chips and drink. Parking is limited at the regional office. Overflow parking is available at the Muskogee Civic Center at 425 Boston St. or at Arrowhead Mall at 501 N. Main St. Back to Top 19 March 1 - Duluth News-Tribune: Vietnam War commemoration set for Depot (19 March, John Myers, 254k online visitors/mo; Duluth, MN) Dennis Hughes wants the March 29 event at the Depot’s Great Hall in Duluth to be a big party — a thank you, welcome home, meet-and-greet sort of party for Vietnam-era veterans across the Northland. “The kind of appreciation most never got 50 years ago,” said Hughes, a Vietnam combat veteran.


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Hughes, 66, of Duluth, is helping to plan what’s billed as “Celebrate Vietnam Vets,” a laid-back event with Sammy’s Pizza, Deluxe Coney Island dogs and Bridgeman’s ice cream. Organizers hope it will bring back fond memories of an era that some can’t forget and others don’t want to remember. “It’s the food we were thinking about when we were over there,” Hughes said. It’s hoped hundreds of vets from Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin will attend with friends and family, as well as surviving family members of servicemen killed in action. Veterans Affairs staff will be on hand to offer information on services for anyone who asks. Radio host and Vietnam veteran Brad Bennett is the emcee and Duluth Mayor Emily Larson is scheduled to speak. Other elected officials have been invited. But don’t expect endless speechifying. “Mostly it’s a chance for the community to say thank you, sort of a belated welcome home party,” said Hughes, a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War. “We want to keep this informal and fun.” “We’re hoping a lot of people show up from the community … set aside a few minutes after work to stop by and say thanks,” said Cynthia Macaulay of the VA office in Duluth. National commemoration The Depot party is one of more than 5,000 events across the U.S. planned or already held as the Vietnam War moves further into the depths of the nation’s historical psyche. The parties are being organized by the VA with help from private donors or partners. But if you hadn’t heard about the effort to honor Vietnam veterans, you aren’t alone. The “United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration” is spread out over several years and, outside veterans service organizations, isn’t well-known. It was first enacted by Congress in 2008 to “conduct a program on behalf of the nation that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.” A presidential proclamation in 2013 extended the commemoration through Veterans Day 2025, 50 years after the war formally ended. Several federal agencies picked 2016 as a midpoint in the “50 years later” scenario, and March 29 was picked by several groups to hold formal events. Officially the commemoration is being held “to thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War — including personnel who were held as prisoners of war, or missing in action — for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States, and to thank and honor the families of these veterans.” “It was kind of clumsy the way they (Congress) did this, it’s spread out over such a long period. Better late than never,” Hughes said. “It’s not too late. It’s never too late to say thank you.” Still, the clock is running as Vietnam veterans age into their 70s. John Marshall, a combat veteran of Operation Desert Storm, the first war in Iraq, and now captain of the Duluth Honor Guard, said more than half of the Honor Guard’s funeral ceremonies are now for Vietnam-era veterans.


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“It’s at least half, maybe more, of the 200 ceremonies we do every year,” he said. “We had two from one church in January. ... Both were exposed (to Agent Orange chemicals). Both died of cancer.” Marshall said he hopes people can put whatever feelings they have about the war and politics surrounding the era behind them and honor Vietnam veterans for answering their nation’s call. Planners are asking veterans to wear their military hats or uniforms and bring photos from their “in country” Vietnam experiences. But they also want other Vietnam-era veterans to come, even if they didn’t serve in Vietnam. “We didn’t have any choice where we went once we got in,” Hughes noted. Nearly a half-century after their service, the News Tribune talked with Hughes and two other Vietnam veterans, who plan on attending the Depot event, to capture some of their stories. Army medic It was just after the peak of U.S. military involvement when Hughes was helicoptered in to a unit of the Army’s 101st Airborne at a place called Fire Support Base Henderson, about 6 miles southwest of Cam Lo near the demilitarized zone. Early on May 6, 1970, Hughes, a medic, was asleep against one of the wheels of a massive 155mm howitzer when an enemy satchel charge blew him into the air. Hughes didn’t mention it when telling the story, but he was awarded the Silver Star for bravery in duty for his efforts to save other members of his unit even as he was severely wounded. Hughes was helicoptered out of the fierce firefight and ended up hospitalized before returning stateside. “We were overrun in 45 minutes. They (U.S. military officers) put us right into the middle of the enemy to see what kind of fire we would draw, and they found out fast,” Hughes said. Still, Hughes holds no ill will against the Army, and in fact re-enlisted in the Reserves and served for two more decades, including a stint in Desert Storm with the Duluth-based 477th Medical Company, a U.S. Army Reserve ambulance unit. “I feel blessed, really. I wouldn’t change it,” he said. Hughes, who retired after a career in the U.S. Postal Service, including 13 years as Duluth Postmaster, said he came home to welcoming friends and family, seeing no outward anger against his service in the nation’s most unpopular war ever. But Hughes also knows that many of his Vietnam-era veterans came home to ugly taunts, verbal abuse and shunning by the nation they fought for. Others came home to silence and misunderstanding even by friends and family. “Many of them never talked about it,” he said. “Some still haven’t.”


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Combat engineer Larry Williams, a West End native who now lives in Hermantown, says he went to Vietnam in 1968 as a combat engineer and came home a changed person. His job was running equipment to make landing zones for helicopters, fix blown-up bridges and repair roads riddled with bomb craters. “It was as if you lost your childhood over there. You came back and everything seemed different. But nobody wanted to talk about it at first. It was taboo to talk about Vietnam for many years,” Williams said. While Williams didn’t receive a hostile homecoming, he said it was frustrating when people treated him as if he had never served, as if the war had never happened. “As a Vietnam veteran back then you really didn’t get welcomed anywhere. One side was calling us baby killers, the hippies, but the other side, the VFW and Legion guys, they looked at us as losers. They didn’t want any part of us, either. So we just didn’t mention it.” Things have changed in recent years, for the better, Williams noted, especially as he and other vets have opened up. “All these years I felt isolated. I felt like I didn’t want to be around other people … and it turns out a lot of us felt the same way,” he said. Williams now attends a weekly meeting of veterans, a sort of group therapy chat session. He’s also returned to Vietnam to learn more about the country and its people. “It was a life-changing experience for me to go back,” Williams added. “It really helped me get past some things.” Mortar platoon sergeant Jon Polecheck, a native of White Pine, Mich., had recently graduated from Michigan Technological University and was ready to start a career as a forester in the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in Koochiching County when he was drafted in 1969. Polecheck, a sergeant, was in charge of a heavy mortar platoon in the Army’s 11th Light Infantry Brigade. They spent much of 1970 in the mountains at a fire base nicknamed San Juan Hill. “It rained some every day most of the year, except during the monsoon season when it rained all day,” Polecheck said. It was a free-fire zone, meaning his mortar platoon was busy nearly every night. “Nothing lived in the area we could hit. Not the enemy. Not a tiger. Not a chicken,” he said. Polecheck came home in one piece and settled into a DNR forestry career, mostly in the Duluth area. He now operates a taxidermy business.


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Like Williams, Polecheck was eager to go back to Vietnam after the war and made trips in 2006 and 2010 with his wife, Jan. They’ve donated to and sponsored libraries, playgrounds, schools and museums in Vietnam, including an American-built library at My Lai, the site of an infamous American war crime where U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of civilians in two villages. “I learned more about Vietnam in a week on our first trip in 2006 than I did in a year sitting on that mountain,” Polecheck said, extolling the beauty of the country and its people. “When I first came home, nobody talked about it. My family and wife got letters from the military saying don’t talk to me about it. So no one did. That was very strange,” he said. “Once in a while you’d get a question like, ‘How many people did you kill?’ But I just didn’t answer.” “Now, when people ask me about my time in Vietnam, I tell them about my trips back and how beautiful it is, how great the people are,” Polecheck added. In reflection, Polecheck now believes U.S. involvement in Vietnam was mistake, a civil war we should have stayed out of. But he isn’t bitter toward his combat experience or his government. “I thought I did a good job over there,” he said. “They sent us over to stop communism. I thought at the time that’s what we were doing.” Polecheck, 70, became active in the Northland Vietnam Veterans Association and eventually the Duluth Honor Guard, which performs services at funerals, parades and other events. That turned out to be great therapy, Polecheck said, because he found people with shared experiences. Polecheck said the Depot event will be good for veterans, most of whom came home from Vietnam alone, not in units, and never to parades, ribbons or bands like veterans from wars before and after Vietnam. “There was no such thing as a welcome home. It was my wife and her mother waiting at the airport for me, that’s it,” Polecheck joked. “But getting together now, all these years later — yeah, I think it’s a good thing. I don’t think it’s too late.” If you go * What: Celebrate Vietnam Veterans * Why: As ordered by Congress, “The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration does what should have been done 50 years ago: Thank and honor our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice” * Who’s invited: Everyone can come to thank a veteran for their service. Vietnam veterans are especially encouraged to come and trade stories. * When: Tuesday, March 29, 5-8 p.m. * Where: The Depot Great Hall in Duluth * Admission: Free. Free pizza, ice cream and coney dogs will be served.


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* For more information: Email [email protected] or call (218) 722-8654. Cloquet event planned In July, Cloquet-area veterans groups will join with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa for a Vietnam War commemoration event. Details are still being worked out. For more information, contact Chris Roemhildt at [email protected] or (218) 722-8654. Back to Top 20 March 1 - Muskogee Phoenix: VA program to commemorate Vietnam veterans' sacrifice (20 March, Mark Hughes, 84k online visitors/mo; Muskogee, OK) There are 113,000 Vietnam veterans in Oklahoma with approximately 3,000 of them living in Muskogee County, and an upcoming event will provide special recognition to them. This event "is an opportunity for our 1,300 employees to say, 'welcome home, we are forever grateful for your service and sacrifice to our nation,'" said Jacob Nichols, coordinator of the event and special staff assistant at the regional office. "Vietnam veterans will be presented with an official Vietnam War Commemoration lapel pin recognizing their valor, service and sacrifice on behalf of a grateful nation," Nichols said. This is the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Vietnam War veterans also will receive assistance in obtaining veteran benefits in a one-stop-shopping event designed just for them. Representatives from the regional office will be able to assist with veterans' benefits including disability compensation, pension, education, rehabilitation, employment and home loans. Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center representatives will also be on hand to assist with any questions or issues. Organizational representatives at the event are: Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, National Association of Black Veterans, Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Project Hero Oklahoma and the American Red Cross. Additionally, the Tulsa Vet Center and the Disabled American Veterans will have their mobile units on-site during the event. As the son and nephew of Vietnam vets, the event Nichols orchestrated touches him personally. "(This event) gives me the opportunity to give to my father and his fellow warriors the welcome home ceremony that they never received," he said. Nichols recalls his father telling him that returning soldiers were encouraged not to wear their uniforms in the airport due to the public's mostly negative view of them.


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"Thankfully, as a nation, we are now able to separate the war from the warrior and treat our veterans with the respect and dignity they have earned," he said. Then, there are the unseen wounds. "I think the greatest challenge facing our Vietnam veterans is the invisible scars that they have carried with them for the past 50 years ... as a result of the mistreatment they received upon returning home," he said. We can see the physical disabilities Vietnam vets have, but it's typically the emotional trauma that is most impactful, he said. "I think it is important that, as a community, we continue to discuss the impact that emotional trauma can have on veterans and their families and continue to offer meaningful support," Nichols said. "Our welcome home event is an opportunity to let our Vietnam veterans know that their service was honorable and that their sacrifice will never be forgotten," he said. Nichols said that the community can say "thank you," which is something that Vietnam veterans didn't hear much upon returning home. "It's a simple gesture, but the impact that it can have to a veteran is immeasurable." Reach Mark Hughes at (918) 684-2908 or [email protected]. If you go WHAT: Veteran Affairs benefit event for Vietnam War veterans only. WHEN: 11 a.m. March 29. WHERE: On the grounds outside the Muskogee VA Regional Benefits Office, 125 S. Main St. COST: Free. ETC.: Overflow parking at Muskogee Civic Center, 425 Boston St. and Arrowhead Mall, 501 N. Main St. INFORMATION: http://www.benefits.va.gov/muskogee/. Back to Top 21 March 1 - The Register-Herald: Vietnam vets welcomed at area ceremony (21 March, Charles Boothe, 79k online visitors/mo; Beckley, WV)


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PRINCETON — Area residents and state and local dignitaries showed their appreciation of Vietnam veterans Sunday afternoon at a ceremony at the Memorial Building in Princeton. The third annual Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day Ceremony was held to “welcome home, honor and recognize Vietnam veterans,” said Marie Blackwell, a member of the ceremony’s organizing committee. Blackwell said those veterans were “never given that recognition” during and right after they served, and she also drew attention to the more than 58,000 names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the more than 300,000 injured. “We honor these brave men and women and their families,” she said. The ceremony is part of a broader statewide recognition leading up to March 30, which is Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day in West Virginia. Col. Daniel Bochicchio, M.D., interim director at the VA Medical Center in Beckley, said he has a “great respect for veterans who served in combat zones. “I appreciate your sacrifices,” he told the veterans, and he offered to help in any way he could to make their lives better. West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant, one of the guest speakers, told the veterans that two simple words, “welcome home,” mean “so much,” but Vietnam veterans were not given that courtesy and respect. “They came home and they were not welcomed home... They were laughed at and spit on,” she said. Tennant said she has made it a point to pay close attention to the needs of veterans. “The system can do a whole lot more,” she said. “I do what I can for our military members.” Tennant said West Virginia has led the country in a pilot program in giving veterans the opportunity to vote online. For those veterans who want to start a business on their own, Tennant said the state now waives the start-up fees, adding that she will keep working hard to help wherever she can. Delegate John Shott, R-Bluefield, also addressed the treatment of Vietnam veterans during and after the war. “How many tens of thousands (of those veterans) are carrying emotional scars” from the “disrespect, indifference or outright hostility” they were shown on their return, he asked. Shott said the country could not get behind the mission in Vietnam, but it was not the fault of the soldiers. “There were serious and deeply held beliefs on both sides (of supporting or not supporting the war),” he said.


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Shott said the problem was, people forgot the difference between policy-makers, who were the ones who made decisions but had a lack of will and failed to lead, and soldiers, who performed their duties and made sacrifices. “We really lost sight of that difference,” he said, and many took their anger and frustrations out on the soldiers. Everyone has “to make sure that never happens again,” he said. Shott also said he is concerned that more than 1,600 soldiers who were in the war are still missing in action or not accounted for. “How can that be after 41 years?” he asked. “We have not been able to determine what happened (to them).” Shott thanked the veterans for their service and for their families and the sacrifices they have made. Mike Browning, a staff member of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., was on hand to read a message from Manchin. “We are all indebted to the brave men and women who served in Vietnam,” he said. The message also thanked communities for making a difference by honoring the veterans. Keynote speaker for the ceremony was Marine Sgt. Ernest J. Baringer III, a Vietnam veteran who is now an adjunct professor at Concord University and trainer of dogs that help soldiers with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). “These dogs are truly amazing,” he said, explaining that they not only help people with physical disabilities but those with PTSD as well. “They have special training for specific disabilities,” he said, adding that training starts when they are puppies 4 to 6 months old and can take up to two years. It’s also expensive, he said, and can cost from $20,000 to $50,000. “It’s not cheap,” he said. “But they provide a priceless service.” Baringer said a dog trained for soldiers with PTSD can sense when a panic attack or anxiety attack is coming on. “They may nuzzle up to them, or lick their hand and stop the attack,” he said. Dogs can even detect when their vet is having a nightmare and lick their faces to help bring them out of it. “They can provide independence to vets who may not normally go out in public,” he said. “They can change his whole world.” Baringer said service dogs always stick by the vet’s side.


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If the veteran has to be taken to the hospital, the service dog will wait at the back door until the vet returns, leaving the spot only to go outside when nature calls. The dogs are trained to be stable, with even tempers and no anxiety, he said. They remain focused, do not bark or growl, and obey commands. Baringer said the Veterans Administration does not recognize benefits for PTSD vets. “Not all wounds are physical,” he said. With the help of donations, a veteran pays little, if anything, for his or her service dogs, he said. During the ceremony, all veterans from all branches of service were recognized, and Vietnam veterans were specifically honored and presented special pins. The presentation of the colors was provided by the Montcalm High School JROTC. The national anthem was played by Bluefield High School trumpeter Trevor Foy. The invocation was by Rev. David Dockery, of First Baptist Church in Princeton. Josh Cline, assistant Bluefield town manager, introduced the dignitaries who spoke and provided closing remarks, thanking everyone for their support. Members of the Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day Ceremony Committee include Blackwell, Cline, Sandra Goodwin, Valerie Hendricks, Laura King, Kathy Kirk, Pete Sternloff and Patricia Wilson. Back to Top 22 March 1 - The Washington Times (AP): Vietnam War veterans being honored in Charleston (22 March, 3.5M online visitors/mo; Washington, DC) Vietnam War veterans are being honored in Charleston as part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the war. Officials from the Department of Defense and the Ralph Johnson VA Medical Center are honoring vets with Vietnam War Commemorative pins at the medical center. The center has invited Vietnam vets from the area to come and receive their pins Tuesday morning. President Barack Obama in 2012 called for the federal government to participate with organizations and communities across the nation in marking the 50th anniversary of the war. Anniversary events continue through Veterans Day of 2025. Back to Top


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2 - The Roanoke Times: VA to honor area Vietnam-era veterans (22 March, Luanne Rife, 941k online visitors/mo; Roanoke, VA) The Salem VA Medical Center and Veterans Benefits Administration will host a ceremony March 29 to observe the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Veterans who served in the U.S. armed forces from Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of location, are eligible to receive a lapel pin during the ceremony. The one-hour event, beginning at 6 p.m., will be held inside the Salem VA’s auditorium in Building 5. It is open to all veterans, family members and supporters. The pinning ceremony is a way for the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to recognize and thank Vietnam veterans for their service and sacrifice. Information is available at salem.va.org or facebook.com/SalemVAMC. Back to Top 3 - WJHL (CBS-11): V-A to honor Vietnam veterans in Friday ceremony (22 March, Douglas Counts, 272k online visitors/mo; Johnson City, TN) A very special event honoring Vietnam veterans is coming up on Friday, March 25. The Mountain Home VA Medical Center will have a Welcome Home ceremony for Vietnam Veterans on Friday, March 25 at 2 p.m. at the VA Medical Center Conference Center as part of a nationwide celebration for Vietnam veterans. “We plan to commemorate the end of the Vietnam War and to honor those veterans with a welcome home that is long overdue.”, explains Mountain Home VA Director Daniel Synder, “All of the Vietnam veterans in attendance, that’s any veterans who served between the times of 1955 and 1975, will be presented a special commemorative pin and there will be a brief ceremony.” “Each will get a special commemorative pin, the pin has a lot of significant meanings as far as symbols on the pin and the pins are all inscribed on the back.”, says Snyder. The inscription on the back of the pin reads “A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You”. Nine million Americans, approximately 7.2 million living today, served during that period, and the commemoration makes no distinction between Veterans who served in-country, in-theater or were stationed elsewhere during those 20 years. All answered the call of duty. Snyder adds, “Vietnam veterans, many today don’t remember, when they came back, a lot of them were asked to come back in their civilian clothes and not in uniform because there wasn’t a tremendous welcome home like there is today for our returning veterans.”


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This is the first event of several that will happen in the Tri-Cities to celebrate the 50th Anniversary & Welcome Home Celebration for our Vietnam veterans. Two more will be on Tuesday, March 29, 2016. Starting at 4 am in the National Cemetery at the Mountain Home, the names of all the 2,500 Vietnam veterans buried in the Mountain Home cemetery will be read and then there will be a service in the cemetery at 11 am. Also the on the 29th at the Burlington Park, the veterans center will be having an open house in the morning. Then on July 30 at Mountain home, there will be parade, ceremony and picnic for the 50th Anniversary & Welcome Home Celebration for our Vietnam veterans. Back to Top 4 - Johnson City Press: Mountain Home VA to host Vietnam War veteran homecoming (22 March, Becky Campbell, 64k online visitors/mo; Johnson City, TN) When Vietnam War veterans came home from their tours of duty, there were no hero homecomings, but on Friday that’s exactly what those who served will receive. Not only were there no hero homecomings when the war ended, Vietnam veterans were more likely to be treated like unwanted criminals in their own neighborhoods and towns. Much has changed since then, and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Mountain Home plans to kick off the first of many appreciation events to be held throughout the year. The event, scheduled for 2 p.m. at the VA Medical Center’s conference center in Building 200, Room A-061-K, is a Welcome Home ceremony for Vietnam veterans. “Our nation’s Vietnam War commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor and thank our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices during one of America’s longest wars,” said VA Secretary Bob McDonald. Friday’s brief program will include remarks from Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st. Vietnam War veterans who attend will receive a commemorative pin. “This commemoration recognizes all men and women who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during the nation’s involvement in Vietnam — November 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975,” said Judy C. Fowler, public affairs officer for Mountain Home. “Nine million Americans, approximately 7.2 million living today, served during that period, and the commemoration makes no distinction between veterans who served in-country, in-theater or were stationed elsewhere during those 20 years. All answered the call of duty.” Fowler said the commemoration has “special significance for those at the VA because of the honored mission to serve those who have borne the battle. The VA wants to thank all Vietnam War Veterans for their service.’’ Fowler said the VA will also hold other events through the year, including a parade and picnic in July, to honor the veterans.


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Two other events this month will also honor the veterans. On Tuesday, a ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. at the Johnson City Mobile Vet Center on McKinley Road with a color guard posting of colors, pledge of allegiance and missing man table ceremony by Rolling Thunder Chapter 4. There will be a short speech given by Vet Center personnel and veterans who attend will receive the commemorative pin. Later the same day, the Mountain Home National Cemetery will hold an 11 a.m. ceremony at the cemetery’s committal shelter to honor and remember Vietnam War veterans buried there. The event will include a roll call of names, which will begin at 4 a.m. Readers will call out the name of every Vietnam War veteran buried at the cemetery. Back to Top 5 - The Greenville Sun: Mountain Home Will Commemorate Vietnam War Veterans At Ceremony (22 March, 36k online visitors/mo; Greenville ,TN) The Mountain Home VA Medical Center will have a Welcome Home ceremony for Vietnam veterans at 2 p.m. Friday at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center's Conference Center, building 200, room A-061-K. There will be a brief program, which will culminate in Vietnam War veterans receiving a commemorative Vietnam War pin, according to a recent news release. U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st of Johnson City, will be among those speaking at the event. "Our nation's Vietnam War commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor and thank our Vietnam Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices during one of America's longest wars," VA Secretary Bob McDonald said in the release. This commemoration recognizes all men and women who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during the U.S. involvement in Vietnam, from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975. "Nine million Americans, approximately 7.2 million living today, served during that period, and the commemoration makes no distinction between veterans who served in-country, in-theater or were stationed elsewhere during those 20 years," the release says. "All answered the call of duty. "This commemoration has special significance for those at the VA because of the honored mission to serve those who have 'borne the battle,'" the release continues. "The VA wants to thank all Vietnam War veterans for their service." Additional events for Vietnam War veterans will take place throughout the summer, according to the release. Back to Top


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6 - Harrison Daily Times: Vietnam 50th commemoration event March 29 (22 March, 36k online visitors/mo; Harrison, AR) FAYETTEVILLE — The Fayetteville Vet Center, in conjunction with the Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks, will hold a 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Vietnam War event at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 29 in Building 3 auditorium. The program will pay tribute and honor to all Vietnam Veterans and their families. The Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks is located at 1100 North College Avenue, Fayetteville. Vietnam Veterans, their families, and the public are invited to attend. The Fayetteville Vet Center offers a wide range of social and psychological services including professional readjustment counseling to veterans, active duty service members and their families in their efforts to make successful transitions from military to civilian life. Vet centers are located outside of the hospital and are openly accessible without appointments. The center is open from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Tuesday; from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; and from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. the Saturday following the third Monday of each month. Established in 1979, the Department of Veterans Affairs Vet Center program operates a system of 300 community based counseling centers nationwide. All veterans who served in combat and veterans who have been exposed to Military Sexual Trauma are eligible for care at a VA Vet Center at no cost, as are their families who are impacted by the veteran’s readjustment difficulties. Back to Top 7 - Bossier Press-Tribune: Overton Brooks, Vet Center to commemorate Vietnam War 50th Anniversary (22 March, 27k online visitors/mo; Bossier City, LA) SHREVEPORT – The Overton Brooks VA Medical Center (OBVAMC) in coordination with the Shreveport Vet Center will commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, March 29, beginning at 12 p.m. The location of the event is at the Overton Brooks VAMC, 510 E. Stoner Avenue. Shreveport, La. 71101. There are more than 106,000 Vietnam Veterans in Louisiana and nearly 21,000 Vietnam Veterans are enrolled with OBVAMC or one of our Community Based Outpatient Clinics. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, nine million Americans served during the Vietnam War period and approximately 7.2 million are living as of December 2014. U.S. involvement in Vietnam started slowly with an initial deployment of advisors in the early 1950s, grew incrementally through the early 1960s and expanded with the deployment of full combat units in July 1965. The last U.S. personnel were evacuated from Vietnam in April 1975. The year 2016 commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. Although, we honor these Veterans daily the 50th Anniversary is an opportunity to publicly recognize and thank Vietnam Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices.


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If you are a Vietnam Veteran please plan to attend the Commemoration Ceremony, March 29, at 12 p.m., at Overton Brooks VA Medical Center, 510 E. Stoner Avenue, Shreveport, La. 71101. Back to Top 8 - The Paper of Wabash County: Vietnam veterans earn recognition (22 March, Joseph Slacian, 3k online visitors/mo; Wabash, IN) Vietnam veterans from around the area were honored Friday morning during a veterans town hall meeting at the Laketon American Legion Post. Michael Stephens, director of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Indianapolis Regional Office, presented about 30 veterans with a lapel pin, signifying their service in Vietnam on the 50th anniversary of the war. Stephens noted the anniversary commemoration was ordered through a presidential proclamation on May 21, 2012. The commemoration is to last from May 28, 2012 through Nov. 11, 2025. “VA offices throughout the country are participating with local, state and federal organizations as commemorative partners in doing what should have been done 50 years ago, to thank and honor our Vietnam veterans for their service and their sacrifice, and to properly welcome them home,” he said. Veterans who served on active duty during the Vietnam War – from Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975 – are eligible to receive the lapel. “No distinction is made between veterans who served in country, in theater or who were at stations elsewhere during the Vietnam War period,” Stephens noted. The lapel pin features an eagle’s head representing courage, honor and dedicated service, he said, describing the pin. It has stripes that represent the nation’s colors, and six stars representing the allies who “served, sacrificed and fought along side one another,” Stephens continued. The reverse side of the pin reads “a grateful national thanks and honors you.” Back to Top 9 - The Paper of Wabash County: Vets told agency pushing for ‘My VA’ experience (22 March, Joseph Slacian, 3k online visitors/mo; Wabash, IN) Bob McDonald, secretary of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, has a specific vision for his agency, those attending a veterans’ town hall meeting Friday, March 18, at the Laketon American Legion were told.


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The VA is represented by three branches: the National Cemetery Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the Veterans Health Administration. “It really should be one VA,” Michael Stephens, director of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Indianapolis Regional Office, told the nearly 75 people in attendance at the two-hour event. “We just spent time in Virginia earlier this month with the secretary as we learn more and more about what his vision is for VA. “That vision is a ‘My VA’ type of experience. That’s where veterans are able to go to VA and get answers for their questions, regardless of which branch. To you, all VA is the VA. “We need to be prepared to get you to the right place so we can answer your questions and provide the service that you’ve earned, regardless of what branch you should access.” Veterans should be able to choose the way they access the VA, Stephens continued, “whether it be via computer, whether it be over the telephone or whether it be via letter or correspondence.” “We’re doing more and more these days electronically,” he said, noting that about 99 percent of the claims are filed electronically. “That being said, there are still veterans that don’t want to use the computer to interface with the VA,” he said. “They want to use the telephone or come in and see us in person, and it is our duty, it’s our responsibility, to make sure that we meet those expectations.” The VA, he said, must measure its success by the way the veterans feel. “Do you feel that we are successful in serving you?” he asked rhetorically. “That’s part of the ‘My VA’ concept. All the numbers in the world don’t mean anything if veterans in the end still aren’t satisfied.” Stephens also acknowledged the backlog in veterans’ claims, which has built up over the years, noting several factors played a part in the backlog. “One is the drawdown of forces overseas that were mobilized in support of the global war on terror,” he said. “Another is the economy and the dip in the economy caused a lot of veterans to seek assistance from the VA. And we’ve also expanded our entitlements. “It was almost a perfect story, if you will.” The VA has added staff to help fight the problem. “I won’t tell you we don’t have any backlog,” Stephens said. “But it’s about 90 percent of what it was.” As that work is being caught up, the VA is looking to the appeals backlog. “With what we have, we can’t catch up this appeals work quick enough to make anyone happy,” he admitted. “But we’re working with Congress looking for ways that we can streamline that process. We are adding staff.


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“It’s going to be a multi-faceted approach from different branches of government that are going to allow us to catch those appeals up.” Also speaking at the town hall meeting were Diana Ohman, director of the Midwest Division of the National Cemetery Association (NCA), and Michelle Schlup of the Northern Indiana Veterans Health Administration. “In our state we have a quite lovely cemetery in Marion,” she said. “They are expecting to have a commemoration ceremony on March 29 for the Vietnam veterans, and then of course, Memorial Day is coming up and that’s the biggest day of the year, as far as we’re concerned.” The NCA has just one mission, she said, “and that is to take care of veterans in perpetuity, forever, in one of the most beautiful shrines in America, and that is one of the 135 national cemeteries scattered across the United States.” She noted that about 90 percent of her staff is made up of veterans. “So they really do care,” she said. “It’s just an extension of service to Americans, as far as they’re concerned.” Schlup said Indiana has an excellent record in regard to patient services. “Over 99 percent of our appointments are done within 30 days,” she said. “That’s across all clinic areas, including mental health, primary care and as well as specialty care.” Following their talk and a lunch prepared by the Laketon American Legion and Auxiliary, the trio answered a variety of questions regarding VA care and policies broached by the audience. Back to Top 10 - Voice of the Valley: Vietnam Veterans to be honored in a ceremony at Tahoma National Cemetery (22 March, Kathleen Kear, Maple Valley, WA) Continuing to honor Vietnam Veterans in this the year of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, a special service commemorating the service, sacrifice, and enduring achievements of the Vietnam Veterans will be held at the Tahoma National Cemetery on Tuesday, March 29, beginning at 5 p.m. The special event will feature the following speakers – Cemetery Director Thomas Yokes, Asst. Director James Mitchum and Cemetery Support Group/Honor Guard Chairman Joe LaVoie. There will also be a very special pinning ceremony for each of the Vietnam Veterans in attendance. The lapel pins will be presented in a dignified manner to each Vietnam veteran during the event, and include accompanying remarks to reflect the nation’s thanks for their service and sacrifice. The lapel pins feature an eagle with the American flag in the background surrounded by a blue circle with a laurel wreath. The eagle stands for courage, honor, and dedicated service to this nation. The blue circle represents the canton of the American flag and signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice. The circle shape and blue also match the official seal of the


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Commemoration. The laurel wreath is a time-honored symbol representing victory, integrity, and strength. The six stars represent the six allies who served, sacrificed, and fought alongside one another – Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and the United States. The event will be held at the Main Flag Pole Assembly Area. Parking space is limited in the cemetery. Plan to walk to and from your parking spot to the ceremony. On the back of the pin is a message – A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You – which is closest to the heart of the wearer. Those eligible to receive one of the pins must have served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time during the period of November 1, 1955-May 15, 1975, regardless of location. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 9 million Americans served during the Vietnam War period and approximately 7.2 million are living as of December 2014. Also – be sure to see the Department of Defense webpage on the Commemoration at: http://www.vietnamwar50th.com For more information, please contact – Thomas Yokes, Cemetery Director, 425-413-9614. Back to Top 23 March 1 - Patch.com (Marietta): Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Ceremony Set For Marietta National Cemetary (23 March, Tim Darnell, 3.8M online visitors/mo; New York, NY) MARIETTA, GA -- A Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony to thank and honor veterans of the war will be held Tuesday, March 29, beginning at 9 am. The keynote speaker is Sergeant Major Harold G. Overstreet, USMC, Retired. The Department of Veterans Affairs, the Georgia and Marietta National Cemeteries will honor the service, sacrifice, and enduring achievements of the Vietnam Veterans during a Vietnam War Commemoration 50th Anniversary event. The event will commemorate Vietnam War Veterans and each Vietnam Veteran will receive a Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin during a pinning ceremony as part of the event. The lapel pins will be presented in a dignified manner to each Vietnam Veteran during the event, and include accompanying remarks to reflect the nation’s thanks for their service and sacrifice. Back to Top 2 - Ventura County Star: Vietnam vets will be honored on Tuesday (23 March, 529k online visitors/mo; Camarillo, CA)


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Vietnam veterans will be honored in a Ventura event on Tuesday. An open house at the Ventura Vet Center is one of a nationwide chain of events commemorating the anniversary of a war that stretched from 1955 to 1975. Called Vietnam Veterans Day, the program comes 43 years to the day the last American troops left Vietnam. The open house will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the center, 790 E. Santa Clara Street, Suite 100, Ventura. There will be speakers and refreshments. Counselors will be present. The vet center is part of a nationwide program established in 1979 because of the realization vets were experiencing readjustment issues. Part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the center provides outreach and referral services. Counseling covers issues ranging from bereavement to military sexual trauma. For more information, call 585-1860. Back to Top 3 - SurfKY News: City of Paducah Commission Meeting Highlights (23 March, 119k online visitors/mo; Madisonville, KY) PADUCAH, Ky. — The following are the highlights of the Paducah City Commission meeting from Tuesday, March 22. […] Ceremony on March 29 to Honor Vietnam Veterans Cheryl Bendick, regent with the Paducah Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, announced that a wreath laying ceremony and Welcome Home for our Vietnam Veterans will be at 10 a.m. March 29 at Dolly McNutt Memorial Plaza. The Welcome Home event is part of the 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Vietnam War. Yellow ribbons will be placed around the trees at the McCracken County Courthouse with the 50th Anniversary Commemoration Flag and other items on display inside the Courthouse. Bendick explained that Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert A. McDonald asked the nearly 9,000 commemorative partner members around the world to hold an event on March 29, the day the last boots were on the ground in Vietnam. Bendick says, “We want our Vietnam veterans to finally get the welcome home they deserve.” The Commemoration is a three year program designed to reach out to every Vietnam era veteran and/or their families to say thank you. The Commemoration began in 2015 and will end Dec. 31, 2017. […] Back to Top


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4 - The Meadville Tribune: Veterans Corner: Vietnam War Commemorative Ceremony is Tuesday (23 March, Charlie Castelluccio, 67k online visitors/mo; Meadville, PA) TITUSVILLE — A Vietnam War Commemorative Ceremony is Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Erie County Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located on State Street in Erie. All veterans, their families and community members are invited to attend a special Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony, as a grateful nation takes time to pay tribute to those who served throughout the Vietnam War. • • • There will also be town hall meeting Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Slater Room of the Warren Public Library, 205 Market St. Erie Veterans Administration Medical Center leadership will be on-site to meet with veterans and listen to their feedback regarding the Erie VAMC and the Warren VA Clinic. Veterans who have never enrolled in the VA health care are also encouraged to attend and speak to an eligibility representative right on-site. Those veterans are asked to bring a copy of their DD-214 discharge papers. • • • March 30 marks the start of the fifth Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day in the United States. In 2011, the United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution establishing March 30 as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day, providing Vietnam veterans with a national day of recognition of their return home. Since 2012 this is our opportunity as a collective community to honor and recognize the contributions of veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam War. As a community we strive to show our veterans the appreciation they deserved but did not receive upon returning home from war. To all Vietnam veterans, welcome home. • • • Last week the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittees on Oversight and Investigations and Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held a joint hearing titled “Twenty Five Years After the Persian Gulf War: An Assessment of VA’s Disability Claim Process with Respect to Gulf War Illness.” The subcommittees wanted to explore why more than 80 percent of claims for Gulf War illness are ultimately denied. In his testimony, Veterans of Foreign Wars Deputy Legislative Director Aleks Morosky said the main problem lies in the way VA conducts separate exams for each symptom veterans are experiencing, leading to diagnoses other than Gulf War illness. Since the individual diagnoses usually cannot be connected to the veteran’s service on his or her own, the claim is denied.


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The VFW believes these veterans should receive one exam which considers all of their symptoms as interconnected, leading to more accurate Gulf War illness diagnoses. At the conclusion of the hearing, Chairman Ralph Abraham announced the committee plans to send a letter to VA, asking it to implement the VFW’s suggestions immediately. • • • A Community Care Call Center has been set up for veterans experiencing adverse credit reporting or debt collection resulting from inappropriately billed Choice Program claims. Veterans experiencing these problems can call (877) 881-7618 for assistance. The VA acknowledges that delayed payments and inappropriately billed claims are unacceptable and has caused much stress to veterans and providers alike. The new call center is the first step in addressing these issues. Charlie Castelluccio, a Titusville resident, is chaplain of northwest Pennsylvania’s 28th District of Veterans of Foreign Wars and is a member of Titusville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5958. Back to Top 5 - KOTA (ABC-3): Department of Veterans Affairs honors Vietnam War vets. Vietnam War 50th anniversary ceremony set at Black Hills National Cemetery (23 March, 65k online visitors/day; Rapid City, SD) STURGIS, S.D. - More than four decades after the fall of South Vietnam, America’s Vietnam War veterans will be honored. A Vietnam War 50th anniversary commemoration ceremony is set to thank and honor veterans of the war at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 29, at the Black Hills National Cemetery. Throughout the country on that day, the Department of Veterans Affairs will honor the service, sacrifice and enduring achievements of the veterans. Each Vietnam War veteran will receive a Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin during a pinning at the ceremony. Living U.S. veterans, who served on active duty at any time between Nov. 1, 1955 and May 15, 1975, regardless of location, are eligible to receive a lapel pin. For more information on the lapel pins, visit: http://www.vietnamwar50th.com/assets/1/7/Veteran_Lapel_Pin_Fact_Sheet.pdf While U.S. involvement in Vietnam goes back to the mid-1950s with military advisers, it was March 1965 when then-President Lyndon Johnson sent in the first conventional ground troops. U.S. combat forces were withdrawn in 1973 following the signing of the Paris Peace Accords and the war finally came to a close in 1975 when North Vietnamese forces entered the South Vietnamese capitol of Saigon. Back to Top


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6 - The Exponent Telegram: National Cemetery to hold commemoration ceremony for Vietnam War veterans (23 March, Brittany Murray, 33k online visitors/mo; Clarksburg, WV) GRAFTON — Brian Barnes will be the keynote speaker for a Vietnam War 50th anniversary commemoration ceremony to thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War. The ceremony will be held March 29 at the Grafton National Cemetery at 2 p.m. and the West Virginia National Cemetery at 3 p.m. During the commemoration event, the Department of Veterans Affairs West Virginia National Cemetery will honor the service, sacrifice, and enduring achievements of the Vietnam veterans during a Vietnam War. Each Vietnam veteran will receive a Vietnam veteran Lapel Pin during a pinning ceremony as part of the event. For more information, contact cemetery director Brian Barnes at (304) 265-2044. Back to Top 7 - Wayne County Journal-Banner: DAR to Honor Vietnam Vets Tuesday (23 March, 9k online visitors/mo; Piedmont, MO) A special ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, to honor veterans of the Vietnam War. The ceremony, which is sponsored by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Captain Henry Whitener Chapter, a NSDAR commemorative partner with the U. S. Department Of Veterans Affairs, will be held at 2 p.m. at the Piedmont City Park War Memorial that is located near the Clearwater Family Youth Center. “Please join us to thank and honor our Vietnam Veterans f or their service, valor and sacrifice!” said Judy Mahal, a DAR member. For more information, please contact Claudia Horne, Vice Regent at 223-7428. Back to Top 8 - Erie Times-News: Ceremony to pay tribute to Erie County Vietnam War veterans (23 March, Gerry Weiss; Erie, PA) When veterans of the Vietnam War started returning to the U.S. in the 1960s, they were largely ostracized and rejected, and treated as outcasts. What they endured back here at home was arguably worse, especially mentally and emotionally, than the ordeal they faced in Vietnam.


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Many were called baby killers and murderers by people in their hometowns, with those veterans considered losers of a conflict that cost the lives of more than 58,000 American soldiers. On Tuesday, during a special ceremony at the Erie County Vietnam Veterans Memorial, local veterans advocates will pay tribute to area Vietnam War veterans. "We would love as many veterans to come as possible," said Sarah Gudgeon, public affairs officer for the Erie Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 135 E. 38th St. "We want them to be there in person and give them the welcome home many of them never received. This is an opportunity to welcome them home with honor." The Erie hospital is co-hosting the Tuesday ceremony with the local Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 435 and the Erie Vet Center, 240 W. 11th St. The event begins at 10 a.m. and is expected to last about 30 minutes. The memorial sits in a grassy area at the intersection of State Street and Glenwood Park Avenue across from Veterans Stadium. Erie County has more than 20,000 veterans, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Out of those veterans, the largest group, about 5,800, served in the Vietnam War. All veterans, their families and members of the community are invited to the ceremony, which is part of a national initiative spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to recognize and thank Vietnam War veterans, Gudgeon said. More than 150 VA centers nationwide will be honoring Vietnam War veterans at ceremonies on Tuesday. "Vietnam veterans have had such an impact on our country and on the VA," Gudgeon said. "They especially made an impact in the future of health care for all veterans, and brought the mental and emotional anguish of war to the forefront. We've come a long way in caring for veterans because they spoke up." Also attending the Tuesday ceremony in Erie will be members of American Legion Post 571 and the area chapter of Patriot Guard Riders, a national veterans advocacy group. Speaking at the event will be Melissa Sundin, interim director of the Erie VA; Saundra Fulgham, a U.S. Army veteran and team leader of the Erie Vet Center; and Ken Kensill, a Vietnam War veteran who spent nearly two decades working to bring the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to Erie County. Back to Top 24 March 1 - South Florida Sun-Sentinel: Florida events planned for Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day (24 March, Diane C. Lade, 1.6M online visitors/mo; Fort Lauderdale, FL)


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Remembrances this month will pay tribute to those who fought in the war that everyone, decades ago, wanted to forget. Ceremonies and proclamations are planned across Florida on March 29-30 in honor of Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day, which commemorates when the last U.S. troops left the southeastern Asian country 41 years ago. Vietnam-era service men and women now make up the largest percentage of combat veterans living in Florida. One out of every three Florida veterans today served in the Vietnam War, according to state officials, numbering more than 500,000 men and women. World War II veterans once were, by far, the largest group. Yet while the anniversaries of the "Greatest Generation" still are remembered — D-Day Invasion, Pearl Harbor Day, Battle of the Bulge — most people are unaware there's a day set aside to honor service in Vietnam, said Steve Murray, spokesman with the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs in Tallahassee. "It's an opportunity to thank our veterans who were not thanked for their service when they initially came home. It's time to recognize them now," Murray said. Some states claim March 29 as Welcome Home day, others including Florida claim March 30. The discrepancy is due to the fact that Vietnam is on the other side of the international date line, leaving the withdrawal date open to interpretation. Part of a federal effort that began in 2008, the Welcome Home day also seeks to educate Americans about one of the nation's most emotionally charged wars. "I think the public is recognizing what happened back when those veterans came home was not a good thing. I think there have been lessons learned," said Mary Ann Goodman, spokeswoman for the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center, where about 35 percent of the 22,563 veterans enrolled served during the Vietnam era. Among the 9.5 million who served between 1955 and 1975, 58,253 were killed and 153,363 were non-fatally wounded, according to the Department of Defense. The average age of the estimated 7 million of those still living will be 70 this summer. The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center will have a public ceremony at 11 a.m. March 29, encouraging veterans to wear their medals or uniforms. A Vietnam-era jeep and "Huey" UH-1 Iroquois helicopter is expected to be on display. The four Vet Centers in Broward and Palm Beach counties, which are VA counseling organizations created shortly after the Vietnam War ended, will be conducting Welcome Home day events on March 29. Jeff Flowers, a therapist and team leader for Fort Lauderdale's center, said about 75 percent of the center's 1,600 annual visits involve Vietnam-era vets.


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"We, as a nation, have realized the importance of supporting our troops," said Flowers, who served in the Army from 1990 to 1994. "Letting a veteran get on the plane first, giving them military discounts, it may not seem like much, but it matters." For some, the delayed honor of a commemorative day is bittersweet. David Knapp, of West Palm Beach, remembers being spit on during a stop in Guam on his trip back home from the battlefields. He had been eager to get back home. During his first week in Vietnam, he and a friend were driving down a road when they came across a tripped mine, surrounded by scattered body parts. "They called us baby killers when we came back," said Knapp, 63, who enlisted when he was 18. "Even though we came back from the war, for some of us it's still going on. It never ended." Yet the experience led to positive change, he said. "We set the table for those who came after us, to ensure that veterans wouldn't be treated like that again," said Knapp, a case manager for a nonprofit and president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 25 in West Palm Beach. The organization has lobbied for better care for its members, heavily affected by post traumatic stress, Agent Orange toxic exposure and other disorders originally not acknowledged by the military. Vietnam vets also have fought for VA benefits and health care for those returning from the Gulf War and the Middle East conflicts, encouraging people to separate the war from the warrior. "Our citizens have come to realize they were soldiers doing their duty, the same as us. Instead of jungles, you have sand. You have no battle lines," said Aaron Augustus, 74, Chapter 25's treasurer and a retired social worker from Boynton Beach. As an Army infantryman, his job was to walk "on point" at the head of his platoon – meaning he would be the first thing the enemy would see. He said one of his most terrifying moments was walking alone across a log over a canal, not knowing what was waiting inside the sea of tall grass on the other side. "It felt like 500 miles across that log," he said. Maxwell Nelson, 70, of Greenacres, said combat trauma coupled with the public's scorn and indifference encouraged Vietnam veterans to never talk about what they did or saw. A native of Panama, Nelson wasn't yet a U.S. citizen and only 21 when he signed up for the draft, eager to go to Vietnam. "We learned that any moment we were there, we could be gone," said Nelson, chapter 25's past president and a retired Verizon technician. He once spent a night with his Army unit pinned to the jungle floor, ambushed. Nelson said he held one of the men who was shot, watching as he grew pale and died while they waited in the dark for a helicopter to save them. Yet it wasn't until 2004 that Nelson sought help for his PTSD, after the Sept. 11 terror attacks triggered severe symptoms.


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Marc Goodell, chapter 25's vice president, thinks Vietnam veterans were a casualty of the times, blamed for a war lost while the country struggled with civil rights and a surge of political activism. A helicopter pilot with the 101st Airborne, he spent a year flying missions "all day, every day," he said. Sometimes, he would take troops into the jungle, returning the next day to take out their bodies, he said. On Welcome Home day, Goodell will find recognition for his service in the eyes of others who fought in those same jungles. "We have a way of welcoming each other," said Goodell, 71 and from Jupiter, suddenly choking up. "We do not hide from each other. We say we are brothers." Back to Top 2 - Oakland Press: Great Lakes National Cemetery honors 1959-1975 veterans (24 March, Sharon Longman, 418k online visitors/mo; Pontiac, MI) Great Lakes National Cemetery hosts commemorative service honoring all Vietnam era 1959-1975 veterans at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 2, at the performance area, 4200 Belford Road, east of N. Holly Road, exit 108 from I-75. The speakers for the service are U.S. Army veteran John H. Riling and U.S. Navy veteran Ina J. Golden. The service includes posting of colors, invocation, pledge, National Anthem, welcome, introductions, tributes, several songs, placing of the wreaths, rifle salute, and taps. Special commemorative lapel pins will be presented. All veterans are welcome to attend. Seating is provided and the service is free and open to the public. For information about benefits, the cemetery, or upcoming events, call 248-328-0386. For more information about this event, call Volunteer Event Coordinator Joe Mishler 810-348-9960, or email [email protected]. • Holly Veterans Resource Center: The newly established Holly Veterans Resource Center, at the Karl Richter Community Center, 300 East St, Room C-309, offers Certified service officers on the first Tuesday of each month from the Oakland County Veterans Affairs office. Service officers will be on site from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday April 5. To make an appointment, call Lauren 248-858-0785. Walk-ins are welcome. Bring necessary paperwork. Holly veterans hope to provide a meeting place for veterans and their families and an information center. Classes and programs to benefit veterans and families will be scheduled and a military and historical library is being created. Groups of veterans who would like a place to meet and for more information, call Joe Mishler 810-348-9960 or Ray Pfenning 248-882-1406. • Fallen and Wounded Solider Concert: Fallen and Wounded Soldier Fund Concert and Dance performance fundraiser at OCC/Highland Lakes Campus from 7 to 9 p.m., Friday, April 1, at the Student Center Arena, 7350 Cooley Lake Road, Waterford. A Swing Orchestra and Swing Dance Troupe will perform and teach to raise funds for wounded veterans in Michigan. Advance tickets are $10 for singles and $15 for doubles. Adult singles at


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box office are $15 and doubles $25. Veterans and kids twelve years and younger are free. For more information and tickets, call Keith Pawlovich 248-942-3243 or email [email protected]. • Adaptive Archery Clinic: This clinic for veterans and others is from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 5, at Marsh View Park in Oakland Township. This one-day adaptive archery clinic is open to persons with physical disabilities, ages 12 +, who are interested in “taking a shot at” archery. Clinic participants will be given a brief introduction to target archery. Clinic taught by USA Archery certified instructors assisted by a Recreational Therapist. All equipment provided. No crossbows. Golf cart transport to range is available. Cost is $10. Registration is open now. For more information, call 248-424-7077, email [email protected] and visit www.destinationoakland.com. • Miracle Quilts: The Miracle Quilts-Quilts for Our Wounded Troops group meets from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, March 31, at the Oxford Public Library, at 530 Pontiac St., in Oxford. Their mission is to create patriotic quilts to present to our wounded troops. This event will be a Craft Sewing Day for the annual Miracle Quilts Show in June. Patterns or ideas for items that might be popular are requested. For more information, call Carroll 248-321-8669 or email [email protected]. Back to Top 3 - Lincoln Journal Star: Veterans Affairs to honor Vietnam War veterans (24 March, 295k online visitors/mo; Lincoln, NE) Vietnam War veterans will be honored 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at a Vietnam War 50th anniversary commemoration at the John B. Muller Administration Building at Bellevue University, 1000 Galvin Road South. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will host the commemoration to recognize all who served on active duty in the U.S. armed forces during the Vietnam War, Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975. Veterans will receive a commemorative lapel pin. The VA will also host a veterans’ claims clinic at the same location from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Veterans and their survivors can file claims for compensation, submit evidence, speak to a VA claims processor and attend a claims exam, if needed. In addition, experts will be available to discuss VA vocational rehabilitation, home loan guarantees, education programs and health care eligibility. Back to Top 4 - The Republic: ‘We need to do something’ (24 March, Mark Webber, 132k online visitors/mo; Columbus, IN)


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Many military veterans who served in foreign wars during the past five decades still carry invisible scars that can be addressed through mental health services being offered at a new Veterans Administration clinic in Edinburgh. That information was shared during a town hall meeting for veterans Wednesday at Columbus City Hall organized by the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis, which has launched the Wakeman VA Medical Center at Camp Atterbury. “We need to do something because we lose 22 veterans every day from suicide,” said William “Buzz” Weberding, Veteran of Foreign Wars state commander. As part of the event, special pins and plaques were distributed to those who served in Southeast Asia as part of the ongoing 50-year commemoration of the Vietnam War. Most of the veterans who attended the town hall meeting were males who were part of the U.S. military during that era. Some came home with disabilities or health problems that were not diagnosed for years or decades. “We all know it’s late,” said Peter Scovill, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs spokesman who served in Vietnam as a Marine Corps officer. “But I think this is a good way for us all to gather together and say ‘Things are better now.’” Iraq War veteran Russell Dean said the new medical facility near Edinburgh will also serve his needs. “Since I live near Westport, this is going to make it a lot easier for me,” Dean said. “Otherwise, I’d have to continue going to Scottsburg or Louisville.” “It’s long overdue,” said John Foster, an Air Force veteran and local recipient of the Patriot Award who was one of about 150 in attendance. “Frankly, with the steep military tradition of this area, this clinic makes a lot of sense.” Services available The main purpose of the meeting was to provide a meet-and-greet opportunity between south central Indiana veterans and the Roudebush staff, center director Dr. Ginny L. Creasman said. Beside medical and mental health personnel, VA representatives were available Wednesday to explain educational, housing and occupational benefits. Creasman emphasized that veterans enrolled at Wakeman who suffer a life-threatening condition such as a stroke or heart attack go to the nearest emergency room to receive care. One veteran said that after he tried to make an appointment following the clinic’s opening last month, he was told he might have to wait until July to be seen. Creasman apologized for that. “We’re still working out the bugs as we keep growing,” said the center director, who assured the audience the wait time has now been reduced to four weeks.


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Since the clinic has been open for less than two months, Columbus resident and Vietnam War veteran Jim Norris said early glitches should be expected. “There’s a huge backlog now with new veterans coming into the system,” Norris said. “It just takes time to get things going smoothly.” In addressing another concern, Creasman strongly encouraged Wakeman patients to phone the clinic before coming in. Although enrolled walk-ins will not be turned away, they may have to wait a lengthy period before a caregiver is available to see them, she said. While the current enrollment at Wakeman only allows for one full-time primary care physician, more will be added later to keep the ratio at about one physician per 1,000 to 1,200 patients, Creasman said. Besides primary medical care, the blend of services now available at Wakeman include physical therapy, a mental health care center and technology-supported, long-distance clinical health care. In addition, several lab tests can be conducted with overnight results at the Atterbury facility, a Roudebush physician said. During the next few years, the 12,000-square-foot clinic is expected to expand services to include optometry, ophthalmology, audiology and general X-rays, Scovill said. When veterans were asked Wednesday what additional services they want, responses ranged from foot, ear and eye care to specialized treatments for diabetes and pain management. Those in attendance were assured that if they transfer their treatment to the Atterbury facility, they will not surrender receiving specialized procedures at Roudebush. In terms of eligibility, those in attendance were told that current funding only allows for treatment of the veteran — not a spouse or child. However, family members can attend group therapy sessions, Creasman said. Income eligibility will depend upon a variety of circumstances that are different for each person, she said. The VA has set eight priority groups in making its eligibility determinations, with the lowest being those with a net annual income exceeding $55,000 or who are part of a family with a net value in excess of $80,000. However, since personal incomes and eligibility requirements change, even those who have been turned down earlier are encouraged to occasionally reapply, Scovill said. Statewide help


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The town hall meeting came just one day after Gov. Mike Pence signed more than a dozen bills that he said will expand benefits and opportunities for Indiana’s military service members and veterans. One measure expands the Military Family Relief Fund, which is intended to help post-9/11 veterans pay food, housing, utility, transportation and medical bills. Others expand Medicaid to active-duty National Guard members and property tax deductions for disabled vets. Wakeman overview What: Wakeman VA Clinic at Camp Atterbury Current Services: Primary care, mental health, physical therapy and telemedicine. Additional specialty services will be added as the clinic grows and develops. Address: 3791 10th St., Building 1010, Edinburgh Phone: On weekdays, call 317-988-2300 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. After hours, call 1-317-899-1772. What’s next? A dedication ceremony for the Wakeman VA Health Clinic will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The ceremony, which will be attended by Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, is open to the public. The clinic is located in two neighboring buildings at Camp Atterbury near Edinburgh: » Building 1010, located at 3791 10th St. » Building 1012, located at 3783 10th St. Back to Top 25 March 1 - WITI (FOX-6, Video): “We want to help them:” Veterans of Vietnam remembered as nation honors their service (25 March, Deandra Corinthios, 704k online visitors/mo; Milwaukee, WI) A special set of heroes were recognized on Friday, March 25th in Milwaukee -- they are veterans of the Vietnam War. They were thanked not only for their service, but also the road they have paved for those serving after them. In the Milwaukee VA Medical Center are some 165,000 plus men and women from Wisconsin who served in Vietnam. One of them was Army medic William Goralski.


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"You're fighting for the guy next to you, on either side of you. Your world becomes a lot smaller and you get relationships and bonds that carry you to the grave," said Goralski. The event was part of a national commemoration on the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. "Fifty years,like myself being a Purple Heart twice over, that I am still vertical and celebrating life and sharing what time I have with my fellow veterans," Goralski said. But it is a bittersweet anniversary. "You never forget the faces of young men you left behind," Goralski said. Veterans Affairs officials admit, the VA at the time was not as prepared as it should have been to help veterans transition back to civilian life. "Has learned a lot from that time and a lot from the Vietnam veterans who fought very hard to get those benefits back home," said Gary Kunich, spokesperson for the Milwaukee VA Medical Center. The VA showed a movie, telling the story of a veteran who after resisting for 40 years, sought help. It's a message to those who still struggle. "We want to let all Vietnam veterans know, we want to serve, we want to help them," said Kunich. Events for the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War extend through Veterans Day 2025. Back to Top 2 - WCYB (NBC-5): Despite the decades, Vietnam-era vets officially welcomed home (25 March, Lee Owens, 403k online visitors/mo; Bristol, VA) JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - A Welcome Home ceremony was held a few decades late for service members who served our country during the Vietnam era. News 5 WCYB was at the VA Medical Center in Johnson City. Each veteran was given a pen to commemorate their service during that time. Rep. Phil Roe is also a veteran from that time. He said veterans were not honored as they should’ve been because of the turmoil back then. "It was a tough time for the country and I don't know that they blamed us, but there was no time to just say ‘Hey, it wasn't your fault. You did your duty and so forth.' I think it's different now and certainly, I feel that when I travel and visit troops overseas," Rep. Roe said. According to Rep. Roe, almost 60,000 service members were killed in Vietnam and there are an estimated 7.2 million vets alive today who served during that era.


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Back to Top 3 - The Tuscaloosa News: Tuscaloosa VA ceremony to honor Vietnam veterans. All veterans invited to attend Tuesday event (25 March, Angel Coker, 346k online visitors/mo; Tuscaloosa, AL) Jeff Brown remembers maneuvering helicopters through the jungle-like terrain of Vietnam to drop Marines off at battle, replenish them with food, water and ammunition and pick up killed and wounded men from the battlefield. Brown deployed with the Marine Corps as a helicopter crew chief in April 1968. He was there for 13 months. And when he returned home from serving in the Vietnam War, he said he felt unappreciated. “Some faced some real difficult circumstances when they came back. Me personally, I didn't get spit on and called a baby killer, though I know some did,” Brown said. “We didn't get a homecoming. We were forgotten. We just never felt like the nation was thankful for what we did.” Brown said he thinks it is still a struggle for veterans to get the recognition and thanks they deserve, but Veterans Affairs Medical Centers across the nation are trying to remedy that. The Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center will host a ceremony at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the Sports Atrium of building 137 on the VA campus to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. All local veterans are invited to attend. The event will include remarks from several Vietnam veterans, musical selections and other tributes from local representatives of veterans' service organizations. The commemoration is to honor veterans who served in Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. VA spokesman Damon Stevenson said although conflicts in Vietnam began in the early 1950s, 1962 is considered the beginning of the U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War. The armed conflict that pitted the communist regime of North Vietnam and its southern allies, known as the Viet Cong, against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States, ended in 1975 with the unification of Vietnam under Communist control. In 2012, President Barack Obama declared that the U.S. would commemorate the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the war every year for 13 years until 2025 when the 50th anniversary of the end of the war is. Stevenson said each commemoration is an effort to show appreciation to the Vietnam veterans they didn't receive when they returned home from war and remind them that they are not forgotten.


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“The troops that came home weren't welcomed with parades,” Stevenson said in an email on Friday. “Regardless of whether the war was popular or not, they answered the call of duty, and they served with honor.” According to History.com, 2.5 million American GIs served in the Vietnam War from 1956 to 1975. Even more Americans served in years before '56. History.com states that 58,214 American troops died in Vietnam between 1956 and 1975, and more than 1,700 Americans are still missing. As of Sept. 30, 2015, there were 7.103 million Vietnam-era veterans living. Brown said it is important to recognize the contributions and sacrifices of all veterans, especially the Vietnam-era veterans, many of whom were shunned upon their return home, because freedom is not free. “If we expect our young people to serve in future wars when necessary, then they need to know what they're doing is worthwhile,” he said. “If we don't value the service our military veterans have given before them, our young people today” will not want to provide military service in the future. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6022 in Cottondale will also host an event in appreciation of Vietnam veterans. The Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Open House will be held at the post, located at 7001 University Blvd. E., today from 1-4 p.m. Back to Top 4 - The Daily Tribune: Vietnam Vets to be honored (25 March, Lynda Stringer, 43k online visitors/mo; Mount Pleasant, TX) Vietnam veterans didn’t receive a hero’s welcome when they came home in the 1960s and a group of women are making a small gesture to try make up for that. The local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution started tahree years ago presenting local vets with commemorative lapel pins to honor their service in the military during that wartime era. They’ve presented about 30 pins so far and they hope to present many more this year during a Vietnam Veteran Commemorative Pin Presentation and Flag Raising Ceremony on the Titus County Courthouse lawn. The pin presentation and flag raising will be held March 29 at 10 a.m. on the north steps of the courthouse. On Thursday, the Martha Laird Chapter of the DAR presented Mount Pleasant Mayor Paul Meriwether with a proclamation, which he signed, declaring March 29 as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. The declaration coincides with Vietnam Veterans Day designated by U.S. Secretary of Veteran Affairs Robert A. McDonald and recognized by the Texas Legislature as “a day to be regularly observed by appropriate ceremonies.”


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It’s also part of a national effort, the United States Vietnam War Commemoration, to honor those who served in that era. “Vietnam veterans were not treated with respect and honor when they returned home from the war. During this period of commemorating the end of the war, the DAR is attempting to honor these veterans and show them the respect and appreciation they deserve,” said Linda Cady, chairman of the chapter’s Vietnam War 50th Commemorative Committee. She said all Vietnam veterans - those who served in the armed forces during the war either at home or abroad - are invited to attend the ceremony and receive their commemorative lapel pin. Those that have already gotten a pin are encouraged to wear it to the ceremony. “The pins are very special. They are designed for Vietnam veterans only. Everything on the pin has a meaning pertaining to the men and women who served. No one else will have these pins,” Cady said. She said the public is also invited to come and thank these veterans for their service and welcome them home.” When the chapter first joined the national commemoration in 2012, the group received a Vietnam War flag and held a flag raising ceremony at the courthouse for local veterans. Cady said that meant a lot to the veterans. “They said, ‘We finally got a flag,’” she said. Steve Austin, the Titus County veteran service officer, keeps the flag in his office so veterans can see it when they visit him for help. The group has been inviting veterans to their meetings to present them with pins and certificates since then. Cady said she has a soft spot for these veterans because she grew up in that era seeing what was going on in the country with the war protests and the fighting reported on the news every night. “When I was in junior high and high school, we had just gotten a TV. I had seen World War II clips before in movies, but this was really happening and when they started showing the Vietnam War on TV, I was stunned,” Cady said. “My dad was in World War II and he would sit there and shake his head. Those kids were just doing what their country asked them to do. It just really bothered him and so, I have always felt for the Vietnam veterans. I felt bad for how they were treated and admire what they have done with their lives and for our society today.” The national commemoration began in 2012 by presidential proclamation with an inaugural event on Memorial Day. The commemoration continues through November 11, 2025. Authorized by Congress, its purpose is “to do what should have been done 50 years ago, thanking and honoring our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice just as America did for veterans of World War II and Korea.”


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As of July 2015, 8,000 local, state and federal organizations have become Commutative Partners committed to honoring the 7 million living Vietnam veterans and the families of the 9 million that served. Cady said, while she understands the veterans’ reservations about public recognition, she hopes those who have not received their commemorative pin will come to the event on March 29. “Many times they don’t come because they don’t want to be singled out. They came home and were ignored and now many feel they shouldn’t be recognized,” she said. “Yet, these are the very ones who are first to recognize and thank our returning service people today.” Back to Top 5 - Ocean City Today: Vietnam veterans to be celebrated (25 March, Kara Hallissey, 36k online visitors/mo; Ocean City, MD) Vietnam veterans and their families are invited to the American Legion Post #166 on Wednesday, March 30, for the fourth annual “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day,” from noon to 4 p.m. on 24th Street. The event kicks off with an hour of welcoming, conversation and the opportunity to talk with a few support groups. A Veterans Affairs service officer will be on hand, support groups from the Lower Shore Veterans Network, Coastal Hospice, Diakonia and Veterans Transportation Network are also slated to attend the event. “It is the only event that welcomes and honors Vietnam veterans,” said Bill Wolf, Post #166 service officer. “Veterans should attend not only to see other Vietnam veterans, but to find out what supportive services there are for them, what help there is available and the health issues from Agent Orange [herbicidal warfare program] and PTSD. We want to reach them and help them.” At 1 p.m., Commander of Post #166, Sarge Garlitz, will say a few words in addition to Nelson Kelly, president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #1091. Attendees can snack on lite fare including sandwiches while mingling with friends, collecting information and watching a few videos set to play throughout the event. “We have Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day when all veterans are honored, but this is for Vietnam veterans,” Wolf said. “The guiding principle of the Vietnam Veterans of America is ‘Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.’ As we were abandoned when we came home from ‘Nam.” The Department of Defense introduced the “Vietnam War 50th Commemoration” more than four years ago to honor members of the military who served in the Vietnam War.


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“These men and women served their country and were given ‘short shift’ and castigated by the public instead of being welcomed for their service,” Wolf said. The American Legion Post #166 became a partner and holds two events each year for Vietnam veterans including on the anniversary of the TET Offensive in January. “It has since become a yearly event and with the formation of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #1091 in 2014 a co-hosted event,” Wolf said. “Together we expect to continue these events for the foreseeable future.” Veterans are encouraged to bring a copy of their DD-214 form. Back to Top 6 - Ashland Daily Press: Area Vietnam vets to be honored by fellow veterans (25 March, Rick Olivo, 5k online visitors/day; Phillips, WI) On Tuesday, March 29, the United States will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, a conflict that divided the nation, and, according to government figures, cost 58,220 service members their lives. That war also wounded over 153,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen who required hospital care, and many of who live with the disabilities caused by those wounds to this day. Some have battled Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, while others have been afflicted illnesses caused by Agent Orange and other chemicals used during the war. A total of 7.2 million men and women still remain from the nine million who served in Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. In 2012, U.S. President Barak Obama proclaimed March 29 as Vietnam Veteran’s Day, saying, “Our veterans answered our country's call and served with honor, and on March 29, 1973, the last of our troops left Vietnam. Yet, in one of the war's most profound tragedies, many of these men and women came home to be shunned or neglected -- to face treatment unbefitting their courage and a welcome unworthy of their example. We must never let this happen again. “Today, we reaffirm one of our most fundamental obligations: to show all who have worn the uniform of the United States the respect and dignity they deserve, and to honor their sacrifice by serving them as well as they served us.” “This commemoration recognizes all men and women who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during the U.S. involvement in Vietnam and the commemoration makes no distinction between Veterans who served in-country, in-theater or were stationed elsewhere during those 20 years. All answered the call of duty,” said Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs Robert A. MacDonald. On Tuesday from 1 to 7 p.m., Vietnam veterans and all military members who served during that 20-year period will be honored by members of the Chequamegon United Veterans at a commemoration reception at the American Legion Post 90/ Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 690 at 220 Main Street East in Ashland.


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The event will be informal, an opportunity for veterans from different eras to socialize and chat, said Linda Kostka and Jim Thompson of the Chequamegon United Veterans, the umbrella group for area veterans. “We want them to have the welcome home they may never have had before,” said Kostka. “We want to invite any of those veterans to come into our clubhouse and have a cup of coffee with us, give them an opportunity to tell their stories,” said Thompson, himself a Vietnam veteran. He noted this will be the sixth observance of the day in Ashland but it took on special significance as it honored the 50th anniversary of the war. “We hope to share some camaraderie with them,” Thompson said. “It’s a simple idea, just go out and invite them and honor them for their service.” The event will also honor service members from the bay area who fell during the war. From Ashland and Bayfield Counties, they include: ASHLAND — PFC Allan Fredrick Berweger, PFC Marvin LeRoy Erickson, SSgt Keith Brian Jahnke, Sgt. Thomas John Sturgal. BAYFIELD — LCpl Merlin Raye Allen, Cpl James William Hessing. CABLE — PFC Melvin Willard Gunderson, WO Peter Paul Polak. Glidden — Capt. Roy Robert Kubley. MELLEN — PFC James Lars Ledin. WASHBURN — SP4 David William Kmetz. In addition to honoring the fallen, it was important, said Kostka, to recognize the valiant service of Vietnam veterans. “It is important for them to feel welcome, to share their stories with those who are down there listening, and for us to share how we are trying to make life better for veterans,” she said. Back to Top 26 March 1 - The Herald: Calling all Vietnam vets: Tuesday Rock Hill honors you (26 March, Andrew Dys, 584k online visitors/mo; Rock Hill, SC) In 2016, few people anywhere look back on the Vietnam War and see it as anything but a mistake. But the troops who fought and were wounded there, died there – in an era of the draft, when so many went because their country told them to go – or protested at home against the war are America. Politicians started the war, but it was the Vietnam vets who took the bullets abroad and the spit and the venom upon returning home when there were no ceremonies honoring them.


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Tuesday in Rock Hill, that changes. At a ceremony at Rock Hill’s National Guard armory, all Vietnam War veterans from York, Chester, and Lancaster counties are invited to stand tall and stand proud and have a pin placed over their heart thanking them for their service. The event at 1 p.m. is to be held in conjunction with a career and job fair and Veterans Affairs forum and claims workshop. All the eventsare aimed at honoring all veterans – and especially Vietnam vets. Many of the current National Guard members, combat veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq, are helping to put on the event that honors the past and helps with the present and future for vets. “We are proud to host and honor our Vietnam veterans,” said Maj. Tom Meares, executive officer of the National Guard 178th Combat Engineers, headquartered in Rock Hill with armories in Chester, Fort Mill, Lancaster. “All our veterans deserve the benefits they are entitled to. They all earned it.” S.C. Adjutant General Robert Livingston, the state’s highest ranking guard member, will be on hand Tuesday to thank the generation of Vietnam veterans who served honorably. In the armory, banners and signs have gone up. There are countless American flags and red white and blue bunting and signs that say simply words that were not said from the start of the Vietnam War through its end in 1975: “Welcome Home.” “We will make sure that every Vietnam veteran who can get here receives a pin, and more, the thanks they deserve,” said Melinda Woodhurst, a veterans adviser for the National Guard. The career and resource fair will have people on hand to help veterans with job and skills assistance, and the forum will give veterans a chance to talk to VA officials about how to address concerns. Yet in York County, helping veterans is an everyday job and more, a mission, for the county’s Veterans Affairs office. The office, led by Veterans Service Officer Joe Medlin, an Iraq and Afghanistan combat veteran, helps thousands of veterans every year with benefits and other services. The office has helped wounded vets get service dogs, assisted vets in crises and with homelessness and other chronic problems, and even started a court for veterans so that service-related problems don’t lead to a life wrecked or ruined. “We believe that it is our duty to make sure that every veteran is taken care of,” Medlin said. Tuesday’s event is free. It is part workshop and part ceremony and all military. The goal is simple: Help veterans, honor them, and show them their country hasn’t forgotten them. Back to Top 2 - Valley News: Hundreds Expected at Vietnam Veterans Event in WRJ (26 March, White River Junction, VT)


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More than 500 people are expected to turn out for a ceremony Tuesday March 29honoring Vietnam War veterans and commemorating the 50th anniversary of the war. Due to the overwhelming response, the event, set for 1 p.m., will be held outside under tents on the grounds of the VA Medical Center. The public is asked to park behind White River Toyota on Sykes Mountain Avenue and use shuttles provided by the VA to get to the ceremony. Other local commemorative activities include reveille at 6:15 a.m. in Veterans Memorial Park, followed by a sunrise service at 6:35 a.m. A pancake breakfast will be served fro 7-10 a.m. at the Vet Center, 118 Prospect St. Throughout the country Tuesday, the Department of Veterans Affairs will honor the service, sacrifice and enduring achievements of the veterans, the medical center said in a news release. “While U.S. involvement in Vietnam goes back to the mid-1950s with military advisers, it was March 1965 when then-President Lyndon Johnson sent in the first conventional ground troops,” the VA said. U.S. combat forces were withdrawn in 1973, following the signing of the Paris Peace Accords, and the war ended in 1975 when North Vietnamese forces entered the South Vietnamese capitol of Saigon. Each Vietnam War veteran will receive a special lapel pin during Tuesday’s ceremonies. Living U.S. veterans who served on active duty at any time between Nov. 1, 1955 and May 15, 1975, regardless of location, are eligible to take part.For more information, call the Vet Center at 802-295-2908 or the VA at 866-687-8387, ext. 5397. Back to Top 27 March 1 - Omaha World-Herald: Vietnam veterans to be honored this week in Bellevue (27 March, Steve Liewer, 2.4M online visitors/mo; Omaha, NE) The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Regional Office will honor Vietnam War veterans at a ceremony Tuesday in Bellevue. The Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration will be recognized at 1:30 p.m. at Bellevue University’s John B. Muller Administrative Services Building, 1000 Galvin Road South. It is part of a nationwide effort by the VA to honor all who served on active duty in the U.S. armed forces between Nov. 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975. Nearly 9 million Americans served, and about 7.2 million of those veterans are still living, according to a VA press release. Anyone who served during that period, regardless of location, may attend the event, the press release said.


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“This Vietnam War commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Nebraskans to recognize, honor and thank our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices during one of America’s longest wars,” said Kerrie Witty, director of the Lincoln VA Regional Office, in the release The VA also will host a veterans claims clinic at the same location from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday. Back to Top 2 - Daily Local News: Coatesville VA to honor Vietnam veterans for service (27 March, Ginger Dunbar, 212k online visitors/mo; West Chester, PA) The Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center will host a commemoration ceremony Tuesday to honor Vietnam veterans. Coatesville Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center will host a commemoration ceremony celebrating Vietnam War era veterans at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Medical Center’s Great Hall (Building 5). The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will conduct hundreds of events Tuesday in VA facilities nationwide to recognize, honor and thank Vietnam War veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices, as part of the national Vietnam War Commemoration. Coatesville VA is one of 152 Veterans Affairs medical centers nationwide. The Coatesville VA also operates community-based outpatient clinics in Spring City, also located in Chester County, and in Springfield, Delaware County. Authorized by Congress, established under the Secretary of Defense, and introduced by President Barack Obama in May 2012, the Vietnam War Commemoration recognizes all men and women who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces from Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975. Nine million Americans, approximately 7 million living today, served during that period, according to the VA Department. The Commemoration makes no distinction between veterans who served in-county, in-theater, or who were stationed elsewhere during those 20 years. “All answered the call of duty,” the VA Department said. “This Commemoration has special significance for those of us at VA because of our honored mission to serve those who have ‘borne the battle,’” VA Secretary Robert McDonald said in a statement. “It’s also an opportunity to remember our VA colleagues who served in this generation of veterans, to extend our heartfelt appreciation to them and to their families who shared the burden of their loved one’s service.” By presidential proclamation issued on May 25, 2012, the Commemoration extends from its inaugural event on Memorial Day 2012 through Veterans Day 2025. To learn more about the Vietnam War Commemoration, visit www.vietnamwar50th.com.


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Additionally, the Hopewell United Methodist Church and East Brandywine Township will host The Wall That Heals, a 250-foot replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that has the names of the more than 58,000 men and women who died in the Vietnam War. Part of a national tour, the replica memorial wall and accompanying mobile education center will be on display from July 28 to Aug. 1 at the East Brandywine Township Community Park at 440 Dilworth Road. Back to Top 3 - The Daily Courier: Forging the way: Vietnam women veterans receive recognition, 50-year coins and pins (27 March, Sue Tone, 138k online visitors/mo; Prescott, AZ) Nearly 40 women veterans of the Vietnam War gathered in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Theater on Wednesday, March 16, to receive recognition of their service with a ceremony that included keynote speaker Ret. Col. Wanda Wright, director of the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services, the first woman appointed to the position. They also received commemorative pins and coins acknowledging the 50-year anniversary of the war. Wright served five years active duty in the Air Force and 20 years with the National Guard. Gov. Doug Ducey appointed Wright a year ago. She holds two master’s degrees in public administration and business administration, and is earning a third in education. Wright told the women her father served three tours in Vietnam – when she was 2, 8, and 12 years old – each at least a year’s absence. He wanted her to attend West Point, but she graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1985, one year before her father retired from a military career. “I’m Col. Wright, number two,” she said with a laugh, adding that the women who preceded her allowed her to “stand on their shoulders today.” She also asked for a round of applause for the women veterans present in the room for “forging the way.” As part of her current position, Wright said she is opening two new cemeteries, one in Marana in southern Arizona, and one in Flagstaff. In the past year, she has organized four Veterans Expos that offer information relating to services, benefits, resources, financial and legal issues, guest speakers, and even a spa area for hair, nails and massages. “The best thing about the expos is to network with other veterans,” Wright said. Returning women veterans are in need of mentoring, she added. “I think they’re a little lost.” She also encouraged the women to reach out to Native American veterans who often must travel great distances to receive services. Doug Keller provided music for the ceremony, with Anna Nava singing the National Anthem and Joy Tyson leading the room in some chair yoga and relaxation exercises. “I’m honored to be here with you today, knowing what you’ve gone through, and what you came back home to,” Wright told the women.


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Veterans Crisis Line Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 to talk to someone now, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and hard of hearing individuals is available. For more information, visit veteranscrisisline.net. Back to Top 4 - DailyProgress.com (Culpeper Star-Exponent): Saying thanks to Vietnam Vets (27 March, Rhonda Simmons, 135k online visitors/mo; Charlottesville, VA) Culpeper citizens will salute area Vietnam veterans during the 50th anniversary ceremony held at the Culpeper National Cemetery on Tuesday. Culpeper Town Councilman and retired Army veteran Keith Price will serve as this year’s keynote speaker. “This is a welcomed opportunity to thank the Vietnam veterans for their service because at the time of their service, they weren’t always welcome home. So it’s nice to be able to make some amends for that,” said Price. “While we lost a few thousand troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, we lost many thousands of troops in Vietnam in really only a few years. It really made quite an impact on the country at the time. It was very divisive and nearly tore the country apart. "And the veterans who went over there to serve did so out of love of this country and a sense of duty and it’s fitting that 50 years later with some of them still around, we can take this opportunity to thank them for their service.” The event starts at 11 a.m. at 305 U.S. Avenue in downtown Culpeper. Each veteran will receive a Vietnam veteran lapel pin during the ceremony. The decorative pin features an eagle in front of the American flag with the words “Vietnam War Veteran” around the perimeter. On the back, a message reads, “A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You. USA. Vietnam War Commemoration.” “The Department of Veterans Affairs Culpeper National Cemetery will honor the service, sacrifice and enduring achievements of the Vietnam Veterans during a Vietnam War Commemoration 50th anniversary event,” said cemetery director Lance Pridemore. For Pridemore, celebrating the Vietnam veterans is extremely important. “Vietnam veterans are very close to my heart because when I came back from Iraq, the first group of people we saw were a group of Vietnam veterans. They were there to welcome us home because nobody was there for them when they came home. So they made sure


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somebody was there for us…so this is very important to me and it’s something that we should do and I’m excited about it.” Eligibility to receive a Vietnam lapel pin includes all living United States veterans who served on active duty in the Armed Forces between Nov. 1, 1955 until May 15, 1975 regardless of location. For more information, call Culpeper National Cemetery at (540) 825-0027. Back to Top 5 - KFDA (CBS-10): Emergency Department ribbon cutting and Vietnam War commemoration (27 March, Angelica Brown, 87k online visitors/mo; Amarillo, TX) The Amarillo VA Health Care System will cut the ribbon for the new Emergency Department Tuesday, March 29th at the Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center at 11:00 am with an open house until 1:00 pm. The new facility includes an ambulance entrance, two quiet rooms, three trauma rooms and three exam rooms. Space at the event will be limited. Guest speakers include Amarillo Mayor Paul Harpole and Texas State Council on Vietnam Veterans member Luther “Buster” Newberry, as well as support from the Amarillo Vet Center. The event will also serve to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. According to www.vietnamwar50th.com, “the average U.S. infantryman in Vietnam saw 240 days of combat in one year.” 58,253 U.S. Armed Forces members were killed while 153,363 were wounded in the two decades of involvement in Vietnam. The sacrifice and service of Vietnam Veterans will be honored during the ribbon cutting. For additional information and more event details, please contact Patrick Hutchison at 806-355-9703 extension 4059 or via email at [email protected]. Back to Top 6 - Natchez Democrat: Observe Vietnam Veterans Day Tuesday (27 March, Mary Willard, 83k online visitors/mo; Natchez, MS) As a member of the Natchez Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, I recently received a new blog post on my computer. The blog was from Dr. Linda Schwartz, VA Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning concerning the observance of Vietnam Veterans Day on Tuesday, March 29. Our DAR Natchez Chapter would like to encourage the citizens of the Natchez and Vidalia area to join us in this special remembrance. Dr. Schwartz served on active duty with the Air Force during the Vietnam War and survived a serious aircraft accident while on duty. On her way to pursuing her present position her admiration grew for the extraordinary work and activities and the tremendous legacy of service and devotion that has been enhanced and enriched by all that the Daughters of the American Revolution have done and are doing for American’s Veterans.


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She is particularly proud to be promoting at the Department of Veterans Affairs efforts to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. This commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor and thank our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice. Between Nov. 1, 1955 and May 15, 1975 nine million Americans, (about 7.2 million living today) served during that period. The commendation makes no distinction between Veterans who served in-country, in-theater or were stationed elsewhere during those 20 years. All answered the call of duty. If you would like to become a commemorative partner, you can learn more at: www.vietnamwar50th.com. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald has created a very special and bold event to honor veterans who served during that time span. He issued a special message on November 2015 throughout the VA System nationwide which reads “VA Central Office, along with nearly 9,000 organizations across the country, has joined the Department of Defense as a commemorative partner to honor our Nation’s Vietnam Veterans. I have designated March 29, 2016, as a day for our Department to express our tremendous gratitude and support to this generation of Americans through ceremonies across the nation.” The date of March 29 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the day when the last American troops left Vietnam in 1973. It serves as the perfect occasion to recognize, honor and thank our Vietnam veterans and their families. The Natchez Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution are encouraging all citizens to join in and honor our Vietnam veterans on this Day. We hope that everyone will help spread the message and get involved as well. Dr. Schwartz states, “I was there for our first welcoming home.” It fell far short of recognizing the extraordinary sacrifices our men and women in uniform made on their nation’s behalf. There were no yellow ribbons. There were no parades or celebrities welcoming the troops home. Often there were no flags at half-staff to honor our dead. To be a part of what is expected to be the biggest “Welcome Home” celebration our Vietnam Veterans have ever received is both exciting and truly humbling. Imagine, all across the nation, at VA facilities large and small, on one day, employees, volunteers, and Veterans alike will take a moment to pause and say a long overdue “Thank you” to this amazing generation of men and women who once carried their nation’s burdens on their shoulders along with the cause of freedom.” On that day V. A. Secretary Bob McDonald and Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter will place a wreath on the elegant polished black granite Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D. C. in honor of the more than 58,000 men and women who died in that war. In the Natchez and Vidalia area there are more than 2500 veterans and it is safe to say that one third of them are Vietnam Veterans who “walk among us”. Seek them out, shake their hand, express your appreciation, and treat them to a cup of coffee or lunch. Stand with the members of the Natchez Chapter, DAR on March 29, 2016, and pause a moment during the day to remember the millions of Americans who “stood not for themselves but for our country in those troubled and turbulent times.” Mary Willard currently serves as State Chaplain of the Mississippi State Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Back to Top 7 - The Paducah Sun: Overdue: Tuesday event honors Vietnam veterans (27 March, Joshua Roberts, 40k online visitors/mo; Paducah, KY)


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Jerry Beyer remembers 1968, his first year as a funeral director, for the men - and in many cases, boys - who came home from war in boxes. He conducted many funerals for Vietnam veterans, and time hasn't dulled the sad memories or the country's loss, Beyer said. "We can never say thank you enough to these veterans who gave so much, and for many, who gave their lives," said Beyer, a McCracken County Fiscal Court member. Beyer's thanks has taken the form of contributions throughout the years to causes on behalf of veterans, including his latest. He suggested his company, Wilbert Vault in Paducah, sponsor a banner for a public event Tuesday designed to rectify wrongs suffered by Vietnam veterans when they returned home. "It's a beautiful banner, absolutely stunning," said Cheryl Bendick, Paducah chapter regent of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Paducah's NSDAR, founded in 1897, is a commemorative partner for Tuesday's "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day," a national tribute. The local portion is slated to begin at 10 a.m. at the Vietnam Veterans Monument at Dolly McNutt Memorial Plaza, 301 S. Fifth St. The ceremony will include addresses from Judge-Executive Bob Leeper, Mayor Gayle Kaler, a joint city-county proclamation and a dedication of a floral wreath. Activities will continue throughout the day at the McCracken County Courthouse, from about 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The color banner Beyer and company contributed reads "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans" in red, white and blue, flanked by yellow ribbons, with a moving image of a U.S. soldier carrying Vietnamese children from a battlefield. It will be displayed prominently throughout the day. Bendick said the event may not be enough to heal all wounds from the unwelcome, unceremonious return many Vietnam veterans received when they came home, but it might help ease some lingering hard feelings. "The men and women who served over there, they were really let down because they didn't feel they had any good support from our citizens," she said. "It's never too late to try to rectify a wrong. We are trying to do our part to convey to those veterans and their families our heartfelt thanks for what they have done, for what they gave up. This is our heartfelt effort. We want them to know we appreciate them, and we love them." Tuesday's "Welcome Home" is an effort administered through the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Tuesday's date, March 29, was chosen because it's the anniversary of when the last American troops left Vietnam in 1973.


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"It serves as the perfect occasion to recognize, honor and thank our Vietnam veterans and their families," wrote Dr. Linda Schwartz, VA assistant secretary for policy and planning, earlier this month. Cindy Byrd, chairwoman of the local event and a Paducah NSDAR member, said she's been encouraged by the city and county's participation. "No problems at all," she said. "Every question has been yes, yes, yes." Added Bendick, "We've gotten wonderful support. […] This is a community, and that is what I love so much about this area - everybody cares about one another." Back to Top 8 - Maryville Daily Forum: ‘Welcome Home’ tribute to honor Vietnam veterans (27 March, Tony Brown, 30k online visitors/mo; Maryville, MO) Nodaway County veterans who fought, and nine local soldiers who died, in the United States’ longest armed conflict, the Vietnam War, will be honored beginning at 11 a.m. Tuesday during ceremonies on the west lawn of the courthouse. The “Welcome Home” tribute to those who served in the 20-year conflict that divided the country more deeply than any since the Civil War, is being hosted by the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. More than 9,000 community organizations are sponsoring similar events nationwide. Though there is some dispute about the exact date, March 29, 1973, is generally recognized as the day the last American combat troops left what was then South Vietnam after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords. The events in Maryville and elsewhere are sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and VA Secretary Robert McDonald has designated March 29 as a day to honor those who have “borne the battle,” and to extend gratitude and appreciation to them and their families. During the war’s climactic years in the late 1960s and early 1970s, widespread domestic opposition to the conflict resulted in what is now perceived as a lack of public and institutional support for returning U.S. service men and women. The “Welcome Home” commemorations of recent years are seen by many as an attempt to pay the same measure of respect and honor to Vietnam veterans and their families as has been accorded those who served in World War II, Korea, the Middle East, and other conflicts involving American troops. Tuesday’s ceremony will include a welcome by DAR member Jessie Smith and brief speeches by Vietnam veterans Robert Westfall, North District Nodaway County commissioner, and Roger Florea of Hopkins, a Purple Heart recipient.


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The placing of a wreath at the base of the Vietnam memorial marker in front of the courthouse will be followed by the playing of “Taps.” Members of American Legion Post 100 are to serve as the honor guard. The United States’ involvement in Vietnam — an attempt to stop the spread of communism across Southeast Asia — is generally considered to have begun in late 1955. Though the last combat troops were withdrawn in 1973, the war would continue for two more years when the last few Americans were airlifted out of the country as Saigon, the South Vietnamese capital, fell to the communist-backed North Vietnamese. More than 58,000 American troops were killed over two decades of fighting, and 1,638 prisoners of war remain unaccounted for. As many as two million Vietnamese soldiers and civilians were killed during the course of the conflict. Soldiers from Nodaway County killed during the war included Daniel Brant, Gary Cross, Charles Dougan, John Holtman, John Jones, David Karr, Donald Leuthold, Ernest Reynolds, and William Pfeifer. Back to Top 9 - Park Rapids Enterprise: Legion to host program honoring Vietnam veterans (27 March, Jean Ruzicka, 18k online visitors/mo; Park Rapids, MN) Tuesday Park Rapids area veterans of the Vietnam War will receive an official "welcome home," a commemoration 50-plus years after the controversial war came to an end. "It’s a celebration they never got," explained Annette Keanu of the Duluth Vet Center. The ceremony for Vietnam vets will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 29 at the Park Rapids American Legion, "a first in Park Rapids." That evening, all veterans and families are invited to a dinner and an information session on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – "when the war comes home with the soldier." This will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at Riverside United Methodist Church. (Seating is limited; call Hubbard County Veterans Services at 732-3561 for reservations.) "This comes at the request of spouses," said Keanu. "So many of them didn’t understand PTSD," which may occur after a traumatic event, such as combat exposure. "Both suffer," she said of families and the person experiencing PTSD. "This program puts it out in the open. We can’t change the past, but we can open communication, make each day moving forward better," Keanu said.


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She speaks from experience. "I’ve been in their shoes," said the Gulf War veteran who served in the Navy 23 years. Common stress reactions after trauma are fear or anxiety, sadness or depression, guilt and shame, anger and irritability and behavior changes - such as drinking, drug use or neglect of health. The evening presentation will be interactive. "PTSD doesn’t go away," she said. "The problem is, pride gets in the way." PTSD is nothing new, Keanu points out. Homer wrote of it in the Iliad. Charles Dickens alluded to it. And it’s had several names. During the Civil War, it was referred to as nostalgia or soldier’s heart. In World War I it was called shell shock, war neurosis and battle fatigue, she said. It was not until 1980, after research was conducted with Vietnam War veterans, Holocaust survivors and those who’d experienced sexual trauma, that the syndrome was put in a diagnostic context, Keanu said. The process of dealing with PTSD calls for understanding and facing it, she advises. "This is a place where vets can reach out to others, to learn to say, ‘accept me for who I am,’" she said. Vets often keep "emotions in a box. They avoid conflict, migrate to other vets and self-medicate. "They want to be normal, but there is no normal. "This brings it to the forefront. It’s no one’s fault. It happened because of military service," Keanu said. An abysmal return According to a study by the RAND Corporation, at least 20 percent of the 2.7 million Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans have PTSD. But military counselors estimate the percentage with PTSD is much higher, and that number climbs when combined with TBI (traumatic brain injury). A study of Vietnam veterans has found a large majority of them struggled with the syndrome, four out of five reporting recent symptoms when interviewed 20 to 25 years after serving. "Vietnam vets were treated like dirt," Keanu said candidly. "Even World War II vets" made denigrating comments to them, determining "they hadn’t gone to war." Traditionally, America has supported its armed forces and has shown respect for those in uniform. In 1919, at the end of World War I, the Doughboys returned home from Europe to ticker-tape victory parades, marching bands, speeches and the good will of all Americans. Additionally, when the soldiers returned home from World War II and the Korean War, they were treated as heroes.


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This was not the case when the soldiers returned home from Vietnam. As a result of America’s loss in Vietnam, there was a misperception that the men who fought there did not measure up to their predecessors in World War II and Korea. Soldiers that served in Vietnam were portrayed as baby killers, psychos, drug addicts and war mongers. It was not an uncommon scene for returning soldiers to be confronted by protesters carrying signs with anti-war slogans. In some instances, soldiers were refused service in restaurants. Movies and television shows portrayed them as deranged monsters. Recognized at last In 2008, the National Defense Authorization Act initiated a program commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. By subsequent presidential proclamation in 2012, the commemoration was extended from Memorial Day in 2012 to 2025. Congress has articulated five objectives for the commemoration: - To thank and honor Vietnam veterans, including personnel who were held as prisoners of war, or listed as missing in action; - To highlight the service of the Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and the contributions of federal agencies and governmental and non-government; - To pay tribute to the contributions made on the home front by the people of the United States during the Vietnam War; - To highlight the advances in technology, science and medicine related to military research conducted during the Vietnam War; - And to recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by the allies of the U.S. during the war. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, nine million Americans served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War; approximately seven million are living today. The "welcome home" initiatives are now being hosted across Minnesota, Keanu said. "Bring pictures or stories to share," she advises of the event at the Legion Club. "Meet and greet other veterans. And find out about veterans’ benefits." For more information, contact Keanu at 612-760-2744. Back to Top


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10 - KTVQ (CBS-2): Wreath ceremony in Laurel honors Vietnam vets (27 March, Dan Dragan, 6k online visitors/day; Billings, MT) The 50 year Anniversary celebration of the Vietnam War continued Saturday morning with the Montana Veterans Administration holding a commemoration ceremony to honor Vietnam veterans. The event took place at the Yellowstone National Cemetery in Laurel where more than 160 Veterans have been laid to rest. The service featured a wreath laying ceremony by Jesse Bale of the Montana National Guard and a pinning ceremony of all Vietnam vets in attendance by the Billings Young Marines. About 10 percent of all Montanans are veterans with one-third of those having served in the Vietnam War. More than 3-million people lost their lives in the conflict, including 58-thousand Americans. "I was over there in 67, 68 and 69, with the 101st Airborne Division," said Tim Conter, a Vietnam vet. "So you know, it was quite a, it's coming home that no one understood yet but yeah this is great, nice recognition." "It's a very important day and it's a very important time that we honor our Vietnam veterans," said Yellowstone County Commissioner Bill Kennedy. "fifty years have passed and you know it's emotional for a lot of folks and it's a time that this country has come about and said thank you and a long time coming." The Montana VA is holding another commemoration ceremony this Tuesday at the Billings Outpatient Clinic on Majestic Lane. The service is scheduled for 3:30 P.M. The 50th anniversary celebration started on Memorial Day in 2012 and runs through Veterans Day in 2025. Back to Top 11 - KEEL (CMN-710): OBVAMC, Vet Center to Commemorate Vietnam War 50th Anniversary (27 March, Angela Thomas, 400 online visitors/day; Shreveport, LA) Overton Brooks VA Medical Center and the Shreveport Vet Center have an event scheduled to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The ceremony will be held beginning at noon March 29 at the medical center, located at 510 E. Stoner Avenue in Shreveport. According to an Overton Brooks news release, there are more than 106,000 Vietnam veterans in Louisiana and nearly 21,000 of them are enrolled with OBVAMC or one of its Community


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Based Outpatient Clinics. The Department of Veterans Affairs reports 9-million Americans served during the Vietnam War period, and about 7.2-million were living as of December 2014. A map on the Department of Defense website shows there are 50 commemoration events scheduled in Louisiana so far, involving 53 partners and 93 sub-partners. Overton Brooks officials say that although they honor Vietnam veterans daily, the 50th anniversary is an opportunity to publicly recognize and thank Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices. Back to Top 28 March 1 - Boston Globe: 50 years after war, local Vietnam veterans officially recognized (28 March, J.D. Capelouto, 16.5M online visitors/mo; Boston, MA) When John Wilkinson came home from serving in the Vietnam War in 1966, he was called names and had Coke cans thrown at him, he sadly recalled. On Monday, however, Wilkinson was one of about 60 Boston-based veterans recognized for serving in the Vietnam War, in honor of its 50th anniversary. “It’s better late than never,” he said. During a ceremony at the VA Medical Center in Jamaica Plain, the Vietnam veterans were thanked for serving their country, and were presented with commemorative pins for the anniversary. “This is an opportunity for us to stop for a moment and acknowledge the sacrifice and the things that they did for this country,” VA Regional Benefits Office Director Bradley Mayes said. “They really paved the way for generations of veterans that came after them.” The ceremony was part of the national Vietnam War Commemoration, which was launched in 2012 and lasts until 2025. Though most of this year’s official commemorations for the war’s 50th anniversary will take place around the country on Tuesday, many VA medical centers and regional offices are holding events throughout the entire week, organizers said. Nine million Americans, approximately 7 million living today, served during the war, which took place from Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, officials said. Wilkinson, who served in the Navy, said that during the 1960s, the benefits for veterans were not as good as today. He remembers being told that PTSD did not exist. “You go there, you serve your country, you get out,” he said of the general attitude toward soldiers. “Don’t ask questions.” Melvin Donnell, who served in the Army in Vietnam from 1965 to 1966, said honoring Vietnam veterans has been “a long time coming.”


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“It was good they honored the veterans,” he said. “Not too many people thought about it. It just kind of fell by the wayside.” Monday’s recognition was especially important because “when the Vietnam veterans came home, they didn’t get the welcome like we do today,” VA Boston Healthcare system director Vincent Ng said. “It was a controversial time,” he said. ”Today’s ceremony really makes all of us feel better, and feel good that they are not lost; that we remember them, and officially welcome them home.” The pins given out were emblazoned with an eagle, laurel wreath, and stars and stripes. Those symbols were inside a blue circle that represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice, Ng said. He said the veterans that come to the medical center are a supportive and tight-knit group, and it showed during the ceremony. They cheered on their fellow servicemen as they received pins, many already wearing shirts and hats recognizing their service. Mayes said he felt emotional presenting the pins. “Your collective service and individual sacrifices have safeguarded the cherished concepts embodied in our Constitution,” he said in a speech to the veterans. “Our country and our communities in this great Commonwealth owe you a debt of gratitude.” Joyce McNeil attended to accept a pin on behalf of her husband Prince, who served in the Army in the early 70s. He is currently at the VA Medical Center in Brockton, she said. “He served his country very well and he should be recognized,” McNeil said. “When he came back, they weren’t recognized And this is wonderful.” Diane Williams, now 63, served in the Air Force from 1972 to 1980. She said she always enjoys conversing with the other Vietnam veterans and bonding with them, since they all had a similar experience coming home from the war 50 years ago. “When I got back out of the military, it seemed like I didn’t have a home anymore,” she said. “Now that we are being recognized and some of our issues being taken care of … I can see we’re coming a long way, and the acceptance and the healing process is beginning.” Back to Top 2 - USA Today: Vietnam War dead to be honored Tuesday (28 March, Patricia Kime, 13.7M online visitors/mo; McLean, VA) WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald will lay wreaths at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Tuesday to honor U.S. servicemembers killed in the Vietnam War. The event is part of a 13-year, ongoing commemoration to mark the 50th anniversary of the conflict, which spanned from the late 1950s to 1975.


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The Vietnam War Commemoration aims to recognize all the men and women who served on active duty during the Vietnam War era, as well as the families of the fallen. Roughly 9 million veterans served during the Vietnam War era; the names of 58,307 war dead are etched on the black granite memorial wall in Washington. “This commemoration has special significance for those of us at VA because of our honored mission to serve those who have ‘borne the battle,’” McDonald said in a release announcing the event. “It’s also an opportunity to remember our VA colleagues who served in this generation of veterans.” The earliest names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial date to 1959 — the year two U.S. military advisers were killed in an attack on their quarters. Among the last casualties are three Marines left behind in Cambodia on May 15, 1975, during an attempted rescue of the civilian crew of the merchant ship Mayaguez. The 2008 National Defense Authorization Act allowed the Pentagon to spend money to mark the war’s 50th anniversary. The Defense Department has partnered with 9,733 community organizations nationwide as well as the VA, to host events for veterans and their families. More than 5,300 activities have been planned to date, including the wreath laying ceremony in Washington, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET. Back to Top 3 - The Baltimore Sun: Events planned to commemorate Vietnam veterans during 50th anniversary of war (28 March, Tim Prudente, 3.4M online visitors/mo; Baltimore, MD) Army Capt. George Shoener was 27 when he came home in 1971 after a year in Vietnam. Others on the flight warned that returning soldiers weren't always welcomed, and they suggested he change from his jungle fatigues. In Washington state, he disembarked wearing a polo shirt and slacks. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is planning to offer the welcome and tribute that many who fought in Vietnam never received. The department has designated March 29 a day to recognize the veterans and their families with ceremonies across Maryland. "There were no celebrations. We just came home and were told to be quiet and move on with our lives," said Shoener, now a 73-year-old retired lieutenant colonel living in Easton. "I didn't wear my uniform again for two years." Tuesday's events are part of a multi-year 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War. About 58,200 American troops were killed during the war, according to Veterans Affairs statistics, and nearly 153,400 were wounded. Some 1,600 Americans taken prisoner remained missing in 2014, according to the department. Four years ago, President Barack Obama issued a proclamation declaring a 13-year program — from Memorial Day 2012 through Veterans Day 2025 —to honor Vietnam veterans.


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Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald has announced plans to host a wreath-laying ceremony Tuesday at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. Shoener, who went on to teach at West Point, where he had graduated in 1968, will speak Tuesday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Easton. Nearly 130,000 Vietnam veterans lived in Maryland in September 2014, according to Veterans Affairs statistics. They endured prolonged combat. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw 240 days of combat in one year, according to the VA. By comparison, the average infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II saw 40 days of combat in four years. "That's why we called each other brothers," Shoener said. "It was only the brothers who understood what was actually going on." March 29 was chosen to coincide with 23 states and territories that will also recognize Vietnam veterans on that date, not because of historical significance, said James Hutton, a Veterans Affairs spokesman. Events planned Tuesday in Maryland include:

• The Veterans Affairs department will observe the day at its offices in Baltimore, 31 Hopkins Place, Suite 2117. For details, call 410-230-4510.

• Also in Baltimore, Loudon Park National Cemetery and Baltimore National Cemetery will hold commemorative events. For details, call 410-644-9696.

• •The Annapolis Veterans Center will hold events at 1739 W. Nursery Road in Linthicum. For details, call 410-605-7826.

• •The Daughters of the American Revolution chapter in Rockville will hold a flag-waving service 1 p.m. at the intersection of Monroe and East Jefferson streets.

• The Daughters of the American Revolution chapter in Easton will hold an event with the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5118 at 5 p.m.. It will be held at the VFW, 355 Glebe Road in Easton.

• •A Garrett County chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will hold a ceremony 1:30 p.m. on First Avenue in Friendsville.

• •Veterans Affairs Acquisition Academy will hold commemorative events at 7485 New Horizon Way in Frederick. For details, call 240-215-0690.

• •The Veterans Benefits Administration will hold ceremonies at 29449 Charlotte Hall Road in Southern Maryland. For details, call 410-230-4510.

Back to Top 4 - Military Times: Carter, McDonald to honor Vietnam War dead (28 March, Patricia Kime, 482k online visitors/mo; Springfield, VA)


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Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald will lay wreaths at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Tuesday to honor U.S. service members killed in the Vietnam War. The event is part of a 13-year, ongoing commemoration to mark the 50th anniversary of the conflict, which spanned from the late 1950s to 1975. The Vietnam War Commemoration aims to recognize all the men and women who served on active duty during the Vietnam War era, as well as the families of the fallen. Roughly 9 million veterans served during the Vietnam War era; the names of 58,307 war dead are etched on the black granite memorial wall in Washington. “This commemoration has special significance for those of us at VA because of our honored mission to serve those who have ‘borne the battle,’” McDonald said in a release announcing the event. “It’s also an opportunity to remember our VA colleagues who served in this generation of veterans.” The earliest names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial date to 1959 — the year two U.S. military advisers were killed in an attack on their quarters. Among the last casualties are three Marines left behind in Cambodia on May 15, 1975, during an attempted rescue of the civilian crew of the merchant ship Mayaguez. The 2008 National Defense Authorization Act allowed the Pentagon to spend money to mark the war’s 50th anniversary. DoD has partnered with 9,733 community organizations nationwide as well as the VA, to host events for veterans and their families. More than 5,300 activities have been planned to date, including the wreath laying ceremony in Washington, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Back to Top 5 - The Journal News: Ceremonies Tuesday for Vietnam Veterans Day (28 March, Richard Liebson, 933k online visitors/mo; White Plains, NY) Welcome home! Tuesday is Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day, proclaimed by President Barack Obama in 2012 as a day for the nation to thank those who served in one of the most divisive conflicts in U.S. history. On March 29, 1973, the last U.S. troops left Vietnam, ending 11 years of war that saw 58,00 Americans killed. Several Vietnam veterans from Westchester County will spend the day in Albany, where they'll join others from across the state being honored during a 3 p.m. ceremony on the floor of the state Senate. In Yonkers, the city's Department of Veterans Affairs will pay tribute to Vietnam veterans at an 11:30 a.m. ceremony at the Veterans Memorial at City Hall, 40 S. Broadway.


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A ceremony and luncheon honoring Vietnam veterans is scheduled for 1 p.m. at VFW Post 672 in Mahopac. Jerry Donellen, director of the Rockland County Veterans Service Agency, said no official ceremonies are scheduled in the county. Back to Top 6 - KPBS (PBS-15): San Diego Vietnam Vets Honored At VA Ceremony Tuesday (28 March, Megan Burke and Kenny Goldberg, 640k online visitors/mo; San Diego, CA) The Department of Veterans Affairs and other San Diego veterans organizations are honoring three San Diego Vietnam War veterans on Tuesday, more than five decades after U.S. ground troops entered Vietnam. Marine Corps veteran Jack Lyon, U.S. Air Force veteran Joan Craigwell and U.S. Army veteran Phil Landis will be celebrated as part of a national commemoration of the Vietnam War by the U.S. Department of Defense. "It happens to be that I went ashore in 1965, so it is the 50th anniversary plus a few months for me," said Lyon, who served two tours in Vietnam. Lyon, who founded the Veterans Village of San Diego in 1981, said that when he speaks at the ceremony on Tuesday he will list the names of seven men under his command who died during Operation New York near Hue City 50 years ago in February. "In particular, because of me having to do this little talk and it is in the forefront, I see it, I smell it, I hear it right now," Lyon said. About 58,000 of the 9 million Americans who served during the Vietnam War, which lasted from 1955 to 1973, lost their lives, according to the VA. An estimated 7 million Vietnam veterans are living today. The public is invited to attend the event at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Scottish Rite Event Center in Mission Valley. Back to Top 7 - Bangor Daily News: Vietnam veterans to be thanked during Tuesday ceremony at Togus facility (28 March, Nok-Noi Ricker, 634k online visitors/mo; Bangor, ME) The Veterans Administration of Maine is holding a ceremony Tuesday to honor and thank those who served in the Vietnam War between 1955 and 1975 “regardless of location” and to remember the sacrifice made by those who didn’t return. “They didn’t get treated well when they came home,” Jim Doherty, a spokesman for the VA in Maine, said of Vietnam veterans. “What we’re trying to do is make up for that.”


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Gov. Paul LePage and his wife, Ann, are scheduled to attend the ceremony, scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Togus Theater, also known as Building 210 at the VA Togus Medical Center. “Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration and National Cemetery Administration will be participating and will recognize all Vietnam veterans that attend,” Doherty said in an email. Maine lost 341 soldiers in the Vietnam War and some combat veterans never were honored for their service and sacrifice upon their return stateside, which is why it is so important to thank them now, Doherty said. Under a presidential proclamation by Barack Obama, a 13-year commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War started on May 29, 2012, and runs until Nov. 11, 2025, which is Veterans Day. Similar events are scheduled at VAs across the country, Doherty said. The Maine event is also an opportunity to reach out to veterans to see if they need any services from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Togus, the state’s sole VA medical center. “Vietnam veterans do not need to register for the event and only need to arrive prior to the 10 a.m. commencement of the formal program, during which the Vietnam veterans will be presented commemorative pins and a commemorative certificate,” Doherty said. “We would also like to extend a cordial invitation to all veterans, families, friends and the general public to come recognize and honor Maine’s Vietnam veterans.” Back to Top 8 - Florida Today: VA set to honor Vietnam veterans (28 March, R. Norman Moody, 561k online visitors/mo; Melbourne, FL) The VA will honor Vietnam veterans in a ceremony Tuesday. Cape Canaveral National Cemetery will honor the service and sacrifice of Vietnam veterans during a Vietnam War Commemoration 50th Anniversary event. Each of the veterans will receive a Vietnam veteran lapel pin during a pinning ceremony. The event is at 2:30 p.m. at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery at 5525 U.S. 1 in Mims. Speakers for the event will be U.S. Rep. Bill Posey and Vietnam veteran Medal of Honor recipient Melvin Morris. James Carlton, of Titusville, a Marine Corps veterans who served in Vietnam in 1969, said the sociopolitical climate was so different when he came home from the war. It has changed and the population is now very appreciative of the veterans. "Thankfully they are receptive," he said. "I'm glad it is happening."


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The VA, along with nearly 9,000 organizations across the country, has joined with the Department of Defense to honor the nation’s Vietnam veterans. Tuesday has been designated as a day for the department to express gratitude and support to this generation of Americans through ceremonies across the nation. Vietnam veteran Richard Hedrick of Melbourne said he is appreciative of the recognition after all these years. "It's about time," he said. The commemoration recognizes all those who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during the U.S. involvement in Vietnam - November 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975. Nine million Americans, approximately 7.2 million living today, served during that period. More than 523,000 live in Florida, many of them in Brevard County. The commemoration makes no distinction between veterans who served in-country, in-theater or were stationed elsewhere during those 20 years. The VA said lapel pins will be presented in a dignified manner to each Vietnam veteran during the event, and include accompanying remarks to reflect the nation’s thanks for their service and sacrifice. Back to Top 9 - Tulsa World: Tulsa, Muskogee events to honor Vietnam veterans on Tuesday (28 March, 470k online visitors/mo; Tulsa, OK) The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and its offices across the country are recognizing the 50th anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam on Tuesday. As part of that, in Tulsa, VFW Post 577 and the Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System will host a commemoration event to honor the service and sacrifice of Vietnam veterans and their families. The event is set for 11 a.m. Tuesday at Post 577, 1109 E. Sixth St. The event is free and open to all veterans who served during the Vietnam War, regardless of location, as well as their family members, organizers said. As part of the program, veterans will be presented with an official Vietnam War Commemoration lapel pin. Lunch will be provided following the program. RSVP is not required. The Eastern Oklahoma VA system is a Commemorative Partner with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. Also, the Muskogee VA Regional Benefits Office, 125 S. Main St. in Muskogee, will honor Vietnam veterans on Tuesday with an event on its grounds.


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Organizers of "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans" say the event — intended to recognize the valor, service, and sacrifice of veterans — will start at 11 a.m., and is free and open to the public. Representatives for VA benefits and services will be on hand to assist veterans and answer questions. Also participating will be a number of veterans service organizations and nonprofits that support veterans and their families. Lunch — hot dog, chips and drink — will be provided for free to Vietnam veterans. Also, all veterans in attendance will be presented with an official Vietnam War Commemoration lapel pin. Parking at the regional office is limited, so attendees are encouraged to park at the Muskogee Civic Center, 425 Boston St., or Arrowhead Mall, 501 N. Main St. Back to Top 10 - Reading Eagle: Vietnam veteran from Muhlenberg Township will represent Berks County at state capitol (28 March, Ron Devlin, 245k online visitors/mo; Reading, PA) HARRISBURG, PA - In Vietnam, 21-year-old Richard D. Bittle served aboard the USS Nueces during the Tet counteroffensive in 1968 and 1969. Now, 47 years later, the retired Muhlenberg Township steelworker will represent Berks County at the 50-year Commemoration of the Vietnam War at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the state Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg. "It's good to see that the people who served in Vietnam are being recognized," said Bittle, 69, who worked at Carpenter Technology Corp. "I'll be thinking of those who didn't come back." The Harrisburg ceremony is one of hundreds of similar events across the country being held as part of the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald and Defense Secretary Ashton Carter will place a wreath at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington. "This is an opportunity to remember our colleagues who served in this generation and to extend our heartfelt appreciation to them and their families who shared the burden of their loved one's service," McDonald said in a written statement. Authorized by Congress in 2012, the Vietnam War Commemoration recognizes all men and women who served on active duty in the armed forces from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975.


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An estimated 9 million Americans, some 7 million of whom are still living, served during that 20-year period, according to the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department. The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs reports that 669 Pennsylvania residents died in the Vietnam War. At the Harrisburg ceremony, Bittle will represent Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 131, which meets monthly at the Muhlenberg Township recreation building. Dale G. Derr, director of the Berks County Etchberger Veterans Center, will accompany Bittle to Harrisburg. Brig. Gen. Jerry G. Beck Jr., Pennsylvania National Guard deputy adjutant general, will serve as master of ceremonies. State Sen. Randy Vulakovich of Allegheny County, who chairs the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, will offer a resolution in support of Vietnam veterans from Pennsylvania. Veterans in attendance will receive the Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin, a special commemorative honor, which depicts an eagle on front and on back the message: "A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You." Back to Top 11 - WPDE (ANC-15, Video): Dillon veteran says he's having trouble getting cancer treatment from local VA (28 March, Tonya Brown, 197k online visitors/mo; Conway, SC) Vietnam veteran David Greene, Sr., said he feels like he's getting the runaround from the Veterans Administration for medical treatment for his prostate cancer diagnosis. Greene said he's been trying for months to see a doctor for chronic pain. "Right now, I'm in a lot of a pain. From back down the side. Right on down to the end of my stomach. And I can't really relax. If I lay down, I hurt. If I sit down, I hurt," said Greene. Greene said he's 100 percent disabled after he lost both legs in the Vietnam war when he was 24-years-old, but now has artificial legs. Greene was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal. He was named Dillon County's Distinguished Veteran of the Year in 2014. Greene's son, David Greene, Jr., called us after he said they weren't getting anywhere with the VA. "They just keep bouncing around. And they bouncing around for what? So they can just close the file? That's it. Because that's all they're doing right now, is just bouncing around. Cancer is not something you play with. It's not, because it's plenty of them that say we'll you give you two


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or three years. And that'll be cut down in no time. And for them not do anything, that's just something you can't play with," said Greene, Jr. The Public Affairs Specialist for the Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center Bob Hall said they take Greene's condition very seriously and immediately investigated upon learning of his situation. He said they determined Greene isn't a patient at VA clinics in Florence or Myrtle beach, but is a registered patient at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center in North Carolina. Hall says doctors in Fayetteville referred Greene to a regular or civilian physician in Florence through the VA's Choice program. The Choice program allows veterans already enrolled in VA health care to receive health care within their community. It doesn't impact their existing VA health care, or any other VA benefit. Hall says they're working with the Fayetteville VA to make sure Greene gets the help he needs. Greene hopes it's sooner rather than later as time is of the essence. We'll continue to keep you posted on what happens with this situation. Back to Top 12 - The Durango Herald: Vietnam veterans to be honored Tuesday (28 March, 153k online visitors/mo; Durango, CO) Vietnam veterans are asked to attend an event Tuesday morning aimed at honoring military personnel who were not so celebrated on their return from the highly contentious war. At 10:30 a.m., the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution will hold an event at the Durango-La Plata Senior Center at 2424 Main Avenue. Julie Cordova, an organizer, said there will be a color guard performance and speeches. March 29 was designated as a day to honor Vietnam veterans by Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald because it was the day the last American troops left Vietnam in 1973. “When the Vietnam vets came home they were not greeted like the soldiers from World War II or Korea,” Cordova said. “They were kind of spit on in the big cities and not treated well because I guess the population was mad we were in Vietnam.” Cordova said all veterans are welcome. Those interested can call 259-0835 to receive an honorary certificate. Back to Top


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13 - SWVA Today: Citizens urged to thank Vietnam veterans on day of gratitude (28 March, Mary Alice, 17k online visitors/mo; Wytheville, VA) An important commemoration is happening this Tuesday, March 29: Vietnam Veterans Day. Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald has issued a message throughout the VA system saying, "VA Central Office, along with nearly 9,000 organizations across the country, has joined with the Department of Defense as a commemorative partner to honor our Nation's Vietnam Veterans. I have designated March 29, 2016, as a day for our Department to express our tremendous gratitude and support to this generation of Americans through ceremonies across the nation." The date of March 29 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the day when the last American troops left Vietnam in 1973. Let's take this opportunity to honor and thank our Vietnam veterans and their families. The war was happening 50 years ago! It is time to recognize all men and women who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during the U.S. involvement in Vietnam between Nov. 1, 1955 and May 15, 1975. Nine million Americans served during that period -- in-country, in-theater and stationed elsewhere during those 20 years. We can learn more about these heroes on the Internet at www.vietnamwar50th.com. Royal Oak Daughters of the American Revolution is mostly made up of women who remember the homecoming that our Vietnam veterans received when they came home. There were no yellow ribbons, no parades, no speeches welcoming home the troops. Often there were no flags at half-mast to honor the war dead. Let's do what we can do to pause now and say a long overdue "thank you" to Vietnam veterans in our lives today. This Tuesday Defense Secretary Ashton Carter will lay a wreath at the awe-inspiring Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., in memory of the more than 58,000 men and women who died in that war. Let's join him in spirit and remember the sacrifices of those who stood not for themselves but for our country in those troubled and turbulent times. Royal Oak DAR was not able to figure out a way to locate all the Vietnam veterans in Smyth County. Many of them live quiet lives without belonging to the VFW or the American Legion. We speak out through this letter to express our gratitude to all Vietnam veterans for carrying this nation's burdens on your shoulders along with the cause of freedom. We've got your 6. Back to Top 14 - KDAL (Westwood One-610): Vietnam Veterans To Be Honored In Duluth (28 March, Dave Strandberg, 9k online visitors/mo; Duluth, MN) As part of the nationwide Vietnam Veterans Day, the Veterans Memorial Hall and Duluth Vet Center are hosting a free event at the Depot on Tuesday night to honor and thank all the veterans who served during the Vietnam War era. The free event is being held from 5 to 8 p-m and will feature a short program emceed by WDSM Radio host and Vietnam Veteran, Brad Bennett. There will also be food provided by Sammy's Pizza, Bridgeman's and Deluxe Coney Island.


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St. Louis County Historical Society staff and volunteers will be on hand to conduct tours of the Veterans Memorial Hall and V-A Center representatives will provide information about the veteran services that are available. Veterans and their families are encouraged to bring photos taken during their active service period. Back to Top 15 - The Daily Post-Athenian: Vietnam Veterans tribute is Tuesday (28 March, 8k online visitors/mo; Athens, TN) An often under-appreciated group of American veterans is not going unnoticed in McMinn County. The Fifth Annual Vietnam Veterans Day Ceremony will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m. at the McMinn Senior Activity Center - a new venue chosen for its accessibility and capacity. McMinn County Veterans Services Director and VSO Susan Peglow - a U.S. Army veteran - believes the growing event is a positive sign for this community. Observance of March 29 as Vietnam Veteran's Day was officially signed into law in 2012 and McMinn County has held a program each year. Peglow feels, in many cases, Vietnam veterans have not been treated with the reverence and appreciation they deserve. "They got the short end of the stick," she said. "All the ceremonies and 'thank yous' in the world are not going to make up for what they had to go through when they came back, but it is a way of letting them know people do care." Peglow noted she has never met a Vietnam veteran who holds a grudge despite the intense political and public scrutiny of the Vietnam War. "The sad thing is the people who ran away to Canada and evaded the draft got a pardon before the Vietnam veterans got a 'thank you,'" she said. A Color/Honor Guard comprised of military service personnel was enlisted for the ceremony. "I went down to Cleveland and recruited the recruiters ... and they're going to be my honor guard," said Peglow. Patriotic music will be performed by Savannah Self and guest speakers include Vietnam veteran Jim Abbott and Athens Mayor Ann Davis, whose late husband was a Vietnam veteran. "It's important to recognize the veterans and their wives," said Peglow. "A lot of these wives stuck by these guys through thick and thin. They send you off to war and teach you how to be a soldier, but they don't teach you how to be a husband or wife when they send you home."


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Representatives from U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann's office and U.S. Sen. Bob Corker's office will be in attendance. McMinn County's delegation to the Tennessee General Assembly is unable to attend because the Legislature is currently in session. Some consideration was given to holding the event on a weekend, but Tuesday is officially Vietnam Veterans Day. "I didn't want to put this off for a different day because the veterans deserve to have their program and their day," said Peglow. Several local organizations have provided gifts or other contributions for the ceremony. The Daughters of the American Revolution prepared goody bags for veterans in attendance. Several donors combined to provide a complimentary lunch following the event. Peglow specifically noted the "tireless" efforts of Brenda Lowe to help prepare for the ceremony. Veterans from Darkhorse Cavalry will set up a display from one of the helicopter they flew into battle and a commemorative field cross. A field cross is a monument set up as a tribute for soldiers who gave their lives in service to their country. "We have (many) McMinn County soldiers who were killed in Vietnam, not counting the soldiers who were exposed to Agent Orange and came back and died from that disease," said Peglow. A non-alcoholic celebratory toast will conclude the ceremony. Guests for Tuesday's ceremony may arrive as early as 10:30 a.m. Peglow urged veterans and non-veterans alike to attend this special event. "If you support veterans, I want you there," she said. "I hope we see standing room only." Back to Top 29 March 1 - The Wall Street Journal: Capital Journal Daybreak: 2016 Candidates Break From Traditional Party Platforms, More (29 March, 41.5M online visitors/mo; New York, NY) HERE’S A LOOK AT THE DAY AHEAD OBAMA ADMINISTRATION: President Barack Obama speaks at the National Prescription Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit in Atlanta at 2:30 p.m. EDT. Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at 8:30 a.m. at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War and to honor U.S. Vietnam veterans and their families. Secretary of State John Kerry, first lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden attend the 2016 Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award ceremony at 10:30 a.m. […] Back to Top


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2 - USA Today: 5 things you need to know Tuesday (29 March, 13.7M online visitors/mo; McLean, VA) […] Hundreds of events across USA to mark 50th anniversary of Vietnam War The Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday will conduct hundreds of events in facilities across the nation to recognize, honor, and thank U.S. Vietnam vets and their families as part of the ongoing commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald will hold a wreath-laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington alongside Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter. Over 329 VA medical centers, regional benefit offices, and national cemeteries also will host events. Saigon fell in April 1975. Click through a gallery of historical images below. […] Back to Top 3 - Chicago Tribune: Vietnam vets honored at Lincoln Cemetery (29 March, Donna Vickroy, 13.5M online visitors/mo; Chicago, IL) Joe Gremal has painful memories of his return from Vietnam in 1970. "People blamed us for the war. We were all baby killers," the Oak Lawn resident said. "They didn't care for us at all." Gremal was living in Marquette Park, working as a machinist in 1968 and because of that job, he had a deferment from military service. "But I went and pushed my number up," he said. "I thought it was the right thing to do." When he returned to the States two years later, though, he said much of the nation looked with disdain on his act of selfless patriotism. Gremal was not the only returning soldier who said he felt bitterly betrayed by the nation he'd risked his life to defend. For thousands who'd survived the physical and emotional trauma of fighting in a brutal and politically questionable campaign, the homecoming was almost as bad as the warfare. Now, all these years later, by presidential proclamation, the government has launched a multi-year campaign to honor those veterans and celebrate their accomplishments, as well as the work of those who supported them. The Vietnam War Commemoration, which began Memorial Day 2012 and continues to Veterans Day 2025, encourages federal, state and local groups to give Vietnam veterans a long overdue show of appreciation. On Tuesday morning, the Department of Veterans Affairs Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery honored the service, sacrifice and enduring achievements of local Vietnam vets during such a


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commemoration event. Some 200 veterans, flanked by family members, received a lapel pin before cemetery director Sean Baumgartner personally thanked them for their service. Afterward, a red-, white- and blue-festooned wreath was hung. Gremal was one of two trumpeters to play "Taps." "This is a fantastic thing," Gremal said. "I understand they're doing this throughout the nation. We should do more to honor Vietnam vets." Gary Robertson brought his wife, daughter, son in law and grandchildren to the event that he said has been a long time coming. "I remember coming home, it was interesting. There was rioting in Chicago, it was during the Democratic Convention," said the Wilmington resident. "People were definitely against the Vietnam veterans." The hurt only intensified, he said, after President Gerald Ford later granted amnesty to draft dodgers who'd moved to Canada to avoid serving. "I had no problem with them going to Canada, that never bothered me," Robertson said. "The problem was they said they went there because they didn't agree with the policies of the United States, but the policies never changed. The war was over, so they decided to come home. I wasn't real happy about them coming back but I had no problem with them leaving." Richard Rock served as a radio operator in the infantry during the Vietnam War. He fought in three major battles and was wounded twice. The Wilmington resident has both a purple heart and a silver star to show for his injuries, but he has a lifetime of resentment to show for his emotional trauma. "I hated the government for 33 years. I didn't have anything to do with it," he said. "I kind of went into myself. I took care of myself, got married, took care of my family and I could care less about the rest of this country and still feel that way." He was at Tuesday's ceremony "because these are my brothers," he said. Therapy, he said, has helped him open up about his war experience and deal with the pain he endured after coming home. Once he found out what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was all about, he said, everything changed. He also connected with the Wednesday Squad, members of the Wilmington VFW that serve at funerals at the cemetery on Wednesdays. "Now I don't have any hatred for anything," he said "Now, I feel good about myself." Tom Monahan, of Tinley Park, was drafted into the Army, he said, "like everybody else." After he realized what it was all about, he said, "I told everybody not to join." Brothers being brothers, his couldn't sign up fast enough, he said.


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"Thankfully, all of us came back in one piece, which is really saying something," said Monahan, a Purple Heart recipient. Fred Moffatt had the best birthday of his life in the worst place possible when he turned 21 while on a tour of duty in Vietnam. "We were guarding a small artillery battery on the edge of the rubber just outside Dao Tang and some guys from a mech [mechanized infantry] unit who were with us -- they worked a mounted anti-aircraft gun -- they found out it was my 21st birthday, somebody came up with a fruitcake that was hard enough to pound nails into and a can of beer. So, we had a party with a couple of beers and a piece of rock hard fruitcake," he recalled. "It was in a bad spot but I could not have asked for a better birthday," he said. It was a welcome break from the endless walking that the Tinley Park High School graduate did a lot of during his stint in Southeast Asia from 1967 to 1968. "One time I spent almost eight weeks in the field," he said. He survived on c-rations and a very limited supply of water that sometime ran out for a few days on end. Bob Duffy, of Frankfort, served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade on a six-man reconnaissance team from 1968-'69. "Coming home was not good," he said. "To be honest, I still carry a great deal of resentment." Though he's glad that soldiers today are getting the recognition and praise they deserve, it sill stings that his generation was treated so unjustly, he said. The pain was so pronounced, he said, "I didn't remember anything for about 45 years. It still amazes me how you can just shut your mind down for such a long period of time. "I really didn't start remembering things until I started coming out here [to the cemetery]." He volunteers once a week, helping with the daily deluge of funeral services at the burial site. He also is squad leader for the color guard at the cemetery. It serves on special occasions, including Memorial Day. "Doing this has brought everything to the forefront again," he said. "Now, it's an absolute honor and privilege to be out here to perform the services for veterans." Back to Top 4 - Military.com: Vietnam Vets Gather at Memorial Wall to Mark War's '50th Anniversary' (29 March, Richard Sisk, 6.1M online visitors/mo; San Francisco, CA) It's always hard for Vietnam combat veterans to come to the shiny black wall where the names of the war dead are inscribed on the Vietnam War Memorial, but a small group was there Tuesday as dignitaries laid a wreath to honor the sacrifice.


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"I've got a lot of friends up there, a lot of friends, too many" whose names are listed on the wall, said Peter E. "Pete" Davis, 73, of the Blinded Veterans Association. "Every time, it's difficult" coming back, said the former sergeant who served with the Army's 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1965-67. "It's always very emotional," said 83-year-old Donald Hilbert, a retired Army major general from the Flatbush section of Brooklyn who served two tours in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division and was at the wall with Davis for what was billed as the "50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War." Hilbert and Davis were among a small group of Viet vets who stood crisply at attention as an Army bugler played "Taps" at the apex of the memorial, the black, V-shaped wall near the Lincoln Memorial which lists the names of more than 58,190 who were killed-in-action or missing-in-action. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Veterans Administration Secretary Bob McDonald presented a wreath to honor the more than seven million Vietnam-era veterans, though the "50th anniversary" designation appeared to confuse some of the vets present. "I don't know what that 50th thing means," Davis said. Fifty years ago was 1966. The official reference to the Vietnam War era for the U.S. ran from 1955 to 1975. Standing nearby was Mark Franklin, a historian for the Vietnam War Commemoration Advisory Committee, who said that the subject of Vietnam and the American involvement there can easily lead to disputes. "Put 10 historians in a room and you'll come up with 11 different answers" on when the war began for the U.S. and when it ended, he said. Franklin said that in 1974, then-President Richard M. Nixon declared March 29 as "Vietnam Veterans Day." That was 42 years ago. The answer is apparently found in the proclamation issued by President Barack Obama in 2012 declaring the period from May 28, 2012, to Nov. 11, 2025, as "the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War." The year 2025 will mark 50 years since the last U.S. troops left Saigon. Neither Carter nor McDonald spoke in the brief ceremony at the wall, but both later spoke warmly and in private to several Vietnam vets, including Hilbert, who had lined up at the base of the wall to receive Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins. The pins said "Vietnam War Veteran" with the image of an eagle on the front and on the back had the statement: "A grateful nation thanks and honors you." At a later Pentagon news conference, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said Carter told each of the Vietnam vets of his gratitude "for their service and steadfast devotion to our country. He told them he believes they never received the homecoming they deserved" and conveyed


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that "he's committed to demonstrating the thanks of a grateful nation by supporting veterans and their families in every way he can," Cook said. Hilbert, who served as a company commander on his first tour in Vietnam and as a battalion commander on his second tour with the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, said he was grateful to Carter for making time for the vets. But as always, when he's at the wall, Hilbert said his thoughts returned to that young lieutenant from the 1st Brigade who was so outstanding -- Gardner -- whose name is on the wall. First Lt. James A. Gardner, of Dyersburg, Tennessee, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions near My Canh, Vietnam, on Feb. 7, 1966. It was his 23rd birthday. Gardner's citation said that his platoon was advancing "to relieve a company of the 1st Battalion that had been pinned down for several hours by a numerically superior enemy force" fighting out of a series of fortified bunkers. Airstrikes and artillery called in on the enemy positions had little effect. "Leading the assault and disregarding his own safety, 1st Lt. Gardner charged through a withering hail of fire across an open rice paddy," the citation said. He destroyed a bunker with a grenade, then a second. At the third bunker, the machine-gunner leaped out. Gardner shot and killed him at short range with his rifle. Gardner rallied his platoon to continue the attack but they were pinned down by machine-gun fire from other bunkers. "Rolling into a ditch to gain cover, he moved toward the new source of fire," the citation said. "Nearing the position, he leaped from the ditch and advanced with a grenade in one hand and firing his rifle with the other. He was gravely wounded just before he reached the bunker, but with a last valiant effort he staggered forward and destroyed the bunker, and its defenders with a grenade" before succumbing to his wounds. Gardner's "conspicuous gallantry was in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army," the citation said. In his proclamation, Obama said that "as a grateful nation, we honor more than 58,000 patriots -- their names etched in black granite -- who sacrificed all they had and all they would ever know." Back to Top 5 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Across the country, events mark anniversary of Vietnam War (29 March, 4.4M online visitors/mo; Saint Louis, MO) From wreath-laying ceremonies to smaller affairs, hundreds of events Tuesday will mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The Department of Veterans Affairs will hold hundreds of events to recognize and thank Vietnam vets and their families as part of the ongoing commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.


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In Washington, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald will be part of a wreath-laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. More than 300 Veterans Aministration medical centers, regional benefit offices and national cemeteries also will mark the day. Back to Top 6 - The Washington Times (AP): South Carolina VA honors Vietnam vets, holds jobs fair (29 March, 3.5M online visitors/mo; Washington, DC) The Veterans Administration Columbia Regional Office and South Carolina National Guard are sponsoring a ceremony in Rock Hill to thank local Vietnam veterans for their service. The event begins Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. in the Rock Hill South Carolina National Guard Armory on Museum Road. Special lapel pins are being presented to Vietnam veterans in attendance. As well, VA staff are to be on hand to assist veterans with enrollment for VA care and answer any queries on health-related issues. Regional office employees are attending to provide individualized claims assistance for veterans and their families. South Carolina National Guard members are also hosting a military career and family resource fair at the event, featuring education, legal guidance, health and family welfare assistance. Back to Top 7 - The Washington Times (AP): Verde Valley residents honor Vietnam veterans this week (29 March, 3.5M online visitors/mo; Washington, DC) Communities in the Verde Valley are honoring Vietnam veterans this week. A replica of a Washington, D.C., memorial that lists the names of Americans who died in the Vietnam War will be on display in Sedona starting Wednesday. Motorcyclists will escort the traveling wall from Camp Verde to Posse Grounds Park. Veterans who attend a Saturday ceremony will get a commemorative pin. Different cities and towns in the Verde Valley have hosted the event for Vietnam veterans since 2012. Back to Top


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8 - The Baltimore Sun: To our Vietnam vets: A belated thank you, and welcome home (28 March, Adam M. Robinson Jr., 3.4M online visitors/mo; Baltimore, MD) Although the actual start date of the U.S. involvement in Vietnam seems to have been a rolling one — Green Berets served there as advisers long before the president authorized boots on the ground in 1965, and the first American was killed in Saigon in 1958 — this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. The VA Maryland Health Care System, along with nearly 9,000 organizations across the country, has joined with the Department of Defense to honor our nation's Vietnam veterans on March 29, the official day of the 50th Anniversary Commemoration. Our nation's 10-year presence in Vietnam fighting a war to contain the spread of communism began in earnest in 1965, and the war exacted a high human cost. When Saigon fell in 1975, nearly 60,000 Americans had died, with another 1,626 missing in action. Estimates of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians killed in the conflict vary from more than a half a million to 3.1 million. Not to mention the 200,000 to 300,000 Cambodians and nearly 200,000 Laotians who also perished. More than 9 million U.S. military personnel served on active duty in Vietnam in that decade, with the majority being drafted. Tickertape parades and welcome home celebrations did not greet returning service members from Vietnam. Often, they were forewarned to don civilian clothes before arriving home where tensions robbed them of gratitude for their service and kudos for a job well done. And they accomplished amazing things — consider the great valor demonstrated by the crew of the USS Kirk, a small escort destroyer in the China Sea. When Saigon fell in April 1975, the crew embraced without warning or preparation one of the most extraordinary humanitarian missions in U.S. Naval history and in U.S. military history. They rescued more than 30,000 Vietnamese refugees and a flotilla of ships comprising the entire Vietnamese Naval fleet. After accepting the first helicopter transporting refugees, the crew of the Kirk then accommodated an endless stream of helicopters onto its landing pad. All carried refugees, including many pregnant women and children. So many helicopters arrived that the crew began pushing emptied ones over the side of the ship to make room for the next arrival. With arms stretched out, they caught men, women, children and babies falling 10 feet out of a hovering Chinook helicopter that was too large to land on the deck. Then, ordered to save the Vietnamese Naval fleet by meeting them at the Con Son Island harbor, the Kirk crew encountered a flotilla of ships, some not seaworthy, but all overflowing with civilians fleeing Saigon. The Kirk's small crew proved indefatigable providing medical care, food, comfort and safety to nearly 30,000 refugees. They even provided diapers and formula for babies, thanks to supplies dropped in barrels by the Air Force. This event remains one of the shining examples of our government delivering large-scale medical care and comfort in real time to real people in dire need. The crew also kept the Vietnamese flotilla functioning and floating for the weeklong journey from Con Son Island to the Philippines where refugees could safely disembark and start the next leg of their flight to freedom. The Kirk crew gave their all for the safety and well-being of


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others, a distinction that remains the hallmark of the service men and women of our nation, then and now. Service men and woman may have left Vietnam, but as veterans, they continue to carry vestiges of war inside them. Many struggle in civilian life more than 30 years later. Instead of praise and gratitude for their valor and service, they received criticism, a total lack of understanding about their invisible wounds, and little support from local communities. Employers refused to hire veterans who served in Vietnam, prompting them to omit their service and sacrifice from their resumes. Many Vietnam veterans report that they never felt appreciated for their service to our nation, despite having been drafted. Today, Vietnam War veterans comprise the lion's share of those served at the VA Maryland Health Care System. President Barack Obama has called the way America treated its Vietnam Veterans "a national shame, a disgrace that should have never happened." While we can't change the past, we can shape present day and set the tone for the future. It's a long-overdue opportunity to do what should have been done half a century ago: express our tremendous gratitude to the 9 million men and women who served in our armed forces from 1955 to 1975. So on behalf of the VA Maryland Health Care System, I want to say to all our Vietnam era Veterans: Thank you. And two more simple — yet profound — words: Welcome home! Dr. Adam M. Robinson Jr. is director of the VA Maryland Health Care System. Back to Top 9 - The Baltimore Sun: Vietnam veterans honored for their service, a half-century later (29 March, Johnathan Pitts, 3.4M online visitors/mo; Baltimore, MD) Of the many images that haunt Stephen Warhol from his yearlong tour of duty in Vietnam, what stands out most are the caskets. An 18-year-old passenger specialist with the Air Force in 1971, Warhol was tasked with welcoming new arrivals to Da Nang Air Force base near the demilitarized zone and helping those lucky enough to be leaving. On a dozen occasions, he had to load onto cargo planes the metal boxes holding the remains of his fellow American soldiers for their final ride home. "I try never to think about how that felt," he said Tuesday, his eyes filling with tears. Warhol, 63, recalled the experiences moments after being honored, along with dozens of his comrades, during a ceremony for Vietnam War veterans at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in Southern Maryland. He joined a procession of men down a hallway lined with well-wishers cheering, waving U.S. flags, holding up signs of welcome and hollering their thanks. The veterans, many in wheelchairs or using walkers, then settled into place in an auditorium, where Veterans Administrations officials and other dignitaries offered words of gratitude and brass lapel pins for their service.


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The event was one of dozens sponsored by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs across the United States on Tuesday as part of a multiyear 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War. Four years ago, President Barack Obama proclaimed a 13-year program — from Memorial Day 2012 through Veterans Day 2025 — to acknowledge the more than 1 million men and women who served in the American military between Jan. 12, 1962, the date of the first U.S. combat mission against the Viet Cong, and March 29, 1973, when the last U.S. troops left Vietnam. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, approved by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush, authorized the secretary of defense to conduct a program commemorating the 50th anniversary of the conflict. The legislation named March 29 Vietnam Veterans Day. The federal agencies are teaming with local governments and other organizations to stage more than 5,000 events across the country this year, many on the 29th, others not. Several were held in Maryland on Tuesday, including wreath-laying ceremonies at Baltimore National Cemetery in Baltimore, a flag-waving event at Veterans Memorial Plaza in downtown Rockville and speeches by veterans at a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Easton. The commemorations had special resonance for many veterans of the controversial conflict. By the early 1970s, the war was so unpopular that some Vietnam veterans have said they were greeted not with thanks upon their return but with curses. A few said they were spat on, or called "baby killers." More common was the kind of story Warhol tells — of coming home and being expected to return to normal life as if nothing had happened. "You hear about World War II vets and the kind of thanks they received, and they deserved every bit of it, but for all these years, no one ever thanked us," said Warhol, an Alexandria, Va., man who has lived at Charlotte Hall for a year. He said Tuesday's ceremony was the first official expression of thanks he had ever received — and though he never expected it, it felt good. "The feelings go deep inside you, like a knife wound, only today, it's like a positive feeling. It's a hard thing to explain," he said. More than 58,000 American troops were killed during the Vietnam War, and more than 153,000 were wounded. Some 1,600 Americans taken prisoner remained missing in 2014. Nearly 130,000 Vietnam veterans lived in Maryland in September 2014, according to the VA. Many endured prolonged combat. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw 240 days of combat in one year, according to the VA. By comparison, the average infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II saw 40 days of combat in four years. Obama has said they were denied their just due.


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"In one of the war's most profound tragedies, many of these men and women came home to be shunned or neglected — to face treatment unbefitting their courage and a welcome unworthy of their example," he said in the 2012 proclamation announcing the 50th anniversary commemoration. "Today, we reaffirm one of our most fundamental obligations: to show all who have worn the uniform of the United States the respect and dignity they deserve, and to honor their sacrifice by serving them as well as they served us." The Baltimore Regional Office of the Veterans Benefits Administration co-sponsored the Charlotte Hall event with the facility, home to nearly 300 veterans, about 170 of them from the Vietnam era. Baltimore VA officials read the presidential proclamation, then walked up and down the auditorium aisles to help present the veterans their pins. Warhol, who has lost both legs to blood clots unrelated to the war, sat in the second row, his blue tie neatly tied, his eyes still red from the day's events. His heart, he said, was beating nearly as fast as it had decades ago when he worked at the airbase, which the Viet Cong shelled from the nearby hills most nights. "I'm proud I served, and I'm glad I survived. To this day I grieve for the families of the thousands who did not. And I'm grateful that we're finally getting recognition for what we all did," he said. "I never thought it would happen." Back to Top 10 - WJW (FOX-8, Video): Ceremony honors Cleveland-area Vietnam veterans (29 March, 2.2M online visitors/mo; Cleveland, OH) Tuesday was a historic day, as the United State commemorates 50 years since the Vietnam War. Veterans, their families and community leaders gathered at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center to share their stories and memories. It was also a chance to thank and honor veterans who served in that war, but may not have been celebrated when they returned home. "Most of us volunteer for it," local Vietnam veteran Jerry Bularz said. "We felt our country called and we answered the call." Tuesday's ceremony recognized those who served between 1955 and 1975. Back to Top


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11 - WKYC (NBC-3, Video): Honoring Vietnam veterans 50 years later (29 March, 1.9M online visitors/mo; Cleveland, OH) Northeast Ohio Vietnam Veterans were honored at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center Tuesday. This was just one of thousands of events across the country today recognizing the vets for their service. This part of the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs 50 year commemoration of the war. WKYC Channel 3's Monica Robins shares what this day means to two Northeast Ohio Veterans. Back to Top 12 - Daily Herald: Vietnam vets honored in special ceremony (29 March, Golbert R. Boucher II, 1.5M online visitors/mo; Arlington Heights, IL) Still feeling the pain of his return home after serving in Vietnam, Medal of Honor recipient Allen Lynch said it was with mixed feelings that he attended Tuesday's commemoration one of America's longest wars. "I'm kind of torn. This commemoration for me is a double-edge sword. On the one hand, I really don't want to have a commemoration of the Vietnam War. I've just been able to put a lot of those things to bed. I don't want to rip off the scabs and go through it again," Lynch, a Vietnam veteran, said in his speech to the veterans who attended the ceremony in North Chicago. "On the other hand, I look at the Vietnam-era veterans and I look at what we've done and what we should be proud of." Nearly 50 veterans, their families and Navy personnel attended the Commemoration of the Vietnam War in the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center's Bourke Hall. It was one of several events held across the nation March 29 on what is known as Vietnam Veterans Day. Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald designated March 29 as a day, "for our department to express our tremendous gratitude and support to this generation of Americans through ceremonies across the nation." The federal health care center, Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense joined other organizations across the country to hold the event to honor Vietnam-era veterans throughout 2016. "My profound thanks to the service of all veterans, in particular the Vietnam-era veterans that are honored here today," Lovell Center Director Dr. Stephen Holt told those in attendance. "The first thing that you brought us was the idea that we can never, ever, ever not support our troops and men and women who answer the call to duty to defend our country, either here or abroad. Thanks for your sacrifice."


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In his statement, the VA's McDonald said the commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor, and thank veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices during one of America's longest wars. Retired Army Maj. Gen. James Mukoyama, who also spoke during the ceremony, said it is a day to celebrate Vietnam veterans and the accomplishments of the generation. "We have a lot to be proud of in the men and women who served in Vietnam," Mukoyama said. Back to Top 13 - KOTV (CBS-6, Video): Vietnam War Veterans Given ‘Welcome Home’ Party In Muskogee (29 March, Rick Wells, 1.4M online visitors/mo; Tulsa, OK) Many Vietnam veterans have stories of not being treated very well when they came home from the war, but that wasn’t the case Tuesday. The Muskogee VA Regional Benefits Office hosted a huge welcome home party for Vietnam War veterans. "This is something we've been planning for quite some time," Jacob Nichols said. He said they didn't know if they'd get five or 500 veterans to show up, but the idea was very simple… "More than anything just have someone say ‘thank you’ and ‘welcome home,’" said Jason McClellan. Among veterans of that war the stories are well known - name calling, being booed in uniform and being told not to wear your uniform when flying home for fear of what might happen. Tuesday was designed to erase some of those memories. One veteran said, "It kind of puts an end to everything." Veterans and their families were invited to come down for a simple ceremony, a little lunch and a sincere welcome home. Several of the service agencies that help veterans come along as well to offer assistance and answer questions. The highlight of the event was an invitation to receive a special Vietnam War commemorative lapel pin - they passed out hundreds. Among the veterans getting pinned, were a couple of familiar faces from the News On 6 - Meteorologist Dick Faurot and yours truly. All in all, it was a great day.


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Back to Top 14 - WAVY (NBC-10, Video): Hampton Roads events honor Vietnam War veterans (29 March, Kevin Green, 1.2M online visitors/mo; Portsmouth, VA) Events across the nation and in Hampton Roads Tuesday marked the 50 years since the Vietnam War. Veterans, local officials and families gathered at the Hampton VA Medical Center and Hampton National Cemetery for a commemoration and pinning ceremony. Vietnam Veteran Lewis Richardson told WAVY.com, “It’s a real honor. It was a long time before we were really recognized when we got back, and it really is an honor. Sometimes I have to look around and see if they’re really talking about me, ‘welcome back home.’ It’s a hard thing, but it’s all due.” Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald placed wreaths at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Tuesday morning to honor the U.S. service members killed. The names of more than 58,0000 soldiers who were killed in the war are etched on the black granite wall in Washington, D.C. Back to Top 15 - Stars and Stripes: Carter, McDonald pay tribute to vets on Vietnam Veterans Day (29 March, Carlos Bongioanni, 1.2M online visitors/mo; Washington, DC) Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Bob McDonald honored veterans Tuesday at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. After a wreath-laying ceremony, Carter and McDonald attached Vietnam Veteran lapel pins on about two dozen veterans lined up along the memorial wall. The event was part of an annual tribute to U.S. servicemembers killed in the war, first observed in 2012 after President Barack Obama issued a proclamation officially listing March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day. The Vietnam War Commemoration is marking the 50th anniversary of the war with local and national events. All veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. military at any time from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, regardless of where they served, are eligible to receive the pins. On the front, the pin features an eagle superimposed over a blue field and red and white stripes, along with six golden stars and laurel wreaths. Each element has symbolic significance: The eagle stands for courage, honor, dedication; the blue signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice; the laurel wreath represents victory, integrity and strength. The stripes represent the American flag and the stars represent Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Republic of


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Korea, Thailand and the United States -- the six allied nations who fought alongside one another. “A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You” is embossed on the back of the pin. Go to vietnamwar50th.com for details about the commemoration schedule and how event organizers can get the pins to pass out to veterans in attendance. Back to Top 16 - The Seattle Times: Local Vietnam vets honored in Seattle (29 March, 1M online visitors/mo; Seattle, WA) Some 75 Vietnam War veterans on Tuesday in Seattle received lapel pins featuring a gold eagle at an event organized by the VA Puget Sound Healthcare and Veterans Benefits Administration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the conflict. The commemoration, authorized by a 2008 act of Congress, began in 2012 and runs through 2025. It is intended to honor and thank the veterans for their service and sacrifice. The Department of Veterans Affairs reports that 9 million Americans served on active duty during the Vietnam War era, and some 7 million are alive today. Tuesday’s event Tuesday was part of a series of events around the nation to commemorate the war’s anniversary. Back to Top 17 - The Palm Beach Post: Vietnam vets honored at VA’s marking of war’s 50th anniversary (29 March, Jorge Milian, 961k online visitors/mo; West Palm Beach, FL) For U.S. soldiers returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, coming home often included elaborate airport welcomes from cheering crowds. The reception for Vietnam veterans in the 1960s and 1970s was far different. “We had to hide,” Maurice Clark, of Riviera Beach, said Tuesday. He remembers getting spat on and called “baby killer” after 13 months of death-defying action patrolling the Saigon River for the Navy. Stephen Virtue, of West Palm Beach, was told upon returning home following 18 months in Vietnam not to appear in public wearing his Army uniform unless he wanted “to get a butt-whipping.” “It was senseless,” said Rick Eaton, 69, a Marine from Royal Palm Beach who served in 1965-66. “We weren’t treated very well, and there was no reason for it.”


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A national effort is taking place to change that — and to recognize the millions of Americans who fought in Vietnam. The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center honored about 125 Vietnam War veterans Tuesday during an event marking 50th anniversary commemorations at veterans affairs facilities around the country. President Barack Obama issued a proclamation four years ago calling for a 13-year program to recognize Vietnam vets that will run through Veterans Day 2025. More than 58,000 American troops were killed during the Vietnam War and another 153,000-plus were wounded, according to Veterans Affairs. About 1,600 Americans were taken prisoner and remain unaccounted for. Virtue, who served two stints for a total of 18 months over 1970-72, said he was “bitter for a long time.” When he returned from Southeast Asia in 1972, Virtue said Vietnam vets were treated with such disdain that job applications were “thrown in a garbage can as you walked out the door.” Those who went to Vietnam — 25 percent of whom were drafted, according to the VA — did so because their country called and “not because we wanted to shoot people,” Virtue said. It was only after the first Gulf War, better known as Desert Storm, that perceptions began to change, he said. “People started realizing we were also veterans who served our country,” Virtue said. Jerry Klein, of Wellington, and an officer with Vietnam Veterans of America, said Tuesday’s ceremony is “an acknowledgement of our service that many of us didn’t feel was appreciated 40 years ago. I think this helps to alleviate that frustration. It’s very gratifying.” Eaton said his experiences during “12 months, 21 days, 14 hours” in Chu Lai, Vietnam, in 1965-66 remain too vivid to discuss. Returning home to scorn and derision “still hurts.” But, Eaton said, times have changed. “Now, I get thanked on a daily basis.” Back to Top 18 - WTXF (FOX-29, Video): FOX 29 Investigates: Vet's Gravestone Left By Dumpster (29 March, Jeff Cole, 751k online visitors/mo; Philadelphia, PA) On Tuesday, the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, a time of great unrest and upheaval in America. FOX 29's Jeff Cole tells the story of a Vietnam veteran's grave marker found tossed aside in a Philadelphia neighborhood, and how residents reached out to us to help, looking for a way to get the stone in the hands of the proper authorities.


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Tucked behind an apartment building, near a trash container, there's a long, white stone that marks a life. It was the life of George Allen Bryant, who served his county in the United States Army in the long, national nightmare that was the Vietnam War. A North Philadelphia resident told us he's actually seen the marker here for years, but either because it was covered with debris or had been recently flipped over, he'd never noticed the inscription. "What did you think when, for the first time, you saw that this was a military marker?" Cole asked. "I felt really like I had to do something about it because my family served in the Marines, and the Army and the Navy," Scott Smith said. He says once he and others realized it was a veteran's marker they took pictures and posted them on social media. Smith called FOX 29 seeking help. When we arrived, neighbors quickly gathered around the stone, wondering aloud how it could have ended up near West 67th Avenue and North Sydenham Street, a few feet from the front of a neighborhood market. "It kept on yelling out to me to do something about it, you know? Like to talk to somebody, or to find where it belongs to or where it needs to go – or where it needs to go back to," Smith said. Just a few blocks away, on a rise with Philadelphia's skyline in the distance, stands Philadelphia National Cemetery, a Veteran's Administration-run final resting place for the nation's veterans. It is a stunning sight, with its carefully placed rows of stark, white markers. We alerted cemetery managers of George Bryant's stone alongside the trash container. They checked and found no record of Bryant being buried in cemeteries they administer but sent a worker to meet us so we could lead them to the stone. Weighing some 200 pounds, it was placed in a truck and taken back to the national cemetery, where it will be held until it's determined where it belongs or what to do with it. "It's a shame that it was a Purple Heart veteran that was out here, just on the ground. His tombstone was on the ground," neighbor Terry Austin said. One thing is certain: The stone marking George A. Bryant's time on this Earth and his service to his country is no longer next to a Dumpster on the corner of West 67th and Sydenham. Austin said, "I'm just hoping that it goes back to its rightful owner."


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When our story aired Monday night, we asked viewers who might know the family of veteran George A. Bryant to call the Philadelphia National Cemetery at 215-504-5610 and ask for its director. Other viewers helped us locate Bryant's obituary online. We'll continue to keep you updated as we report this story. Back to Top 19 - WCSH (NBC-6, Video): VA honors, thanks Vietnam veterans (29 March, Don Carrigan, 706k online visitors/mo; Portland, ME) America's most recent military veterans—those from Afghanistan and Iraq—continue to be welcomed home and receive help with jobs and emotions support from both government and private business groups. But many of America’s Vietnam veterans say they still feel the hurt of being ignored many years ago. Maine has about 44,000 Vietnam veterans, and on Tuesday, the Veterans Administration began what will be a years-long effort to thank them. Leaders of VA Maine at Togus held a special ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam war, based on a goal set several years ago by the Obama Administration. Governor Paul LePage spoke to the veterans’ audience about the animosity many veterans encountered when they came home from the war. ”What nobody realized is it wasn’t your fault. Your country asked you to go fight a war. And you were scorned, ridiculed and embarrassed when you came home you didn’t dare wear your uniform,” LePage said. Veterans say they appreciate the effort to thank them. “Long overdue…I appreciate it," Navy vet Cliff Hooper of Belfast said. His friend Steve Brown said he was bothered for years about the way he and other Vietnam vets were treated when they came home, although he said the VA thank you was very welcome. “...but after something like this here, it’s well appreciated now.” Said Brown. “And life goes on.” The VA says it will continue holding events for Vietnam veterans from now through 2025. Back to Top 20 - KJRH (NBC-2): Hundreds of Vietnam veterans were honored across Tulsa (29 March, 585k online visitors/mo; Tulsa, OK) Hundreds of Vietnam veterans were honored across Tulsa.


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At the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 577, more than 50 servicemen were honored by the Department of the Veterans Affairs. It was a full program with the presentation of colors, national anthem and opening remarks. Toward the end, the VA staff presented official "Vietnam War Commemoration" lapel pins to all veterans. One of the veterans shared with 2 Works for You about the American sentiment during the war and how he was treated in Tulsa when he came back. "I was spit on at the Tulsa airport when I came home the first time. The second time it was a lot better. The first time was 66 and second time was 68," said Rudy Odonly. Despite this, Odonly was proud to have served in the war. "I got more involved with the natives there and those people just wanted their freedom. They were ruled by the Japanese and the French. They just wanted their freedom and be left alone," said Odonly. Other ceremonies included at the American Legion Post 308 in Tulsa and at Muskogee's VA Regional Benefits Office. Back to Top 20 - Florida Today (Video): National Cemetery honors Vietnam veterans (29 March, R. Norman Moody, 561k online visitors/mo; Melbourne, FL) Veterans left the Vietnam War Commemoration 50th Anniversary ceremony this afternoon at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims, decades after the war ended, satisfied they were finally being recognized. The event, which attracted several hundred people, was held to thank and honor Vietnam War veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States. "I'm just happy that people are finally getting behind the veterans," said Mike Cadorette, 63, of Port St. John. Cadorette, who served with the Air Force in Vietnam from 1972 to 1973, said that beginning with the war in Korea, veterans for a long time did not get the respect and recognition they deserved. "I think the 9-11 attacks changed that tone," he said. "It's a shame it took something like that. I'm glad that part of our history is over." Hundreds of Vietnam veterans lined up to receive the 50th Anniversary Commemoration lapel pin. "It's a great thing to be recognized for serving our country," said Arthur, "Gunner" Dudley, who served in the Marine Corps from 1975 to 2001.


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The ceremony included presentation of colors, singing of the national anthem, taps and two guest speakers in Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. First Class Melvin Morris and U.S. Rep. Bill Posey. Morris, who was awarded his Medal of Honor for his heroism on Sept. 17, 1969 in Vietnam, said he was proud to be at the ceremony among fellow veterans who were all heroes. "This is a very grand day," said Morris, who was received with a standing ovation. "This is a day we honor Vietnam veterans." Posey told the crowd that the nations owes the veterans more than can ever be repaid. The veterans of Vietnam served with competence, courage and enduring honor, when people were against them for serving and they served when others avoided serving. "To those Vietnam veterans who didn't get a proper welcome home, I want to welcome each and every one of you home," he said. The commemoration also recognized the contributions and sacrifices made by allies of the United States during the war, and pays tribute to contributions on the home front and highlight the advances in technology, science and medicine related to military research. The Department of Veterans Affairs along with nearly 9,000 organizations across the country, joined with the Department of Defense to honor the nation’s Vietnam veterans. Tuesday was designated as a day to express gratitude and support to this generation of Americans through ceremonies across the nation. Veteran Tom Garvey, 67, of Titusville, said it was an honor to finally be recognized for serving. His father, John Garvey, who is buried at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery, served in Vietnam before him. His brother Glenn Garvey also served in the war. "My father went to Vietnam," he said. "When he came back I went to Vietnam. When I came home I met my brother in Denver, Colorado on his way out on my way in." Garvey received his commemorative lapel pin at the ceremony. "It's an honor to be honored 50 year later," he said. "We had a rough time coming home." Bill Robinson, 73, of Edgewater, said he was please with the recognition even if it is decades late. "It was nice, just the recognition we are getting," he said. By the numbers Vietnam War (1964-1975) Total U.S. Service members (Worldwide from 1964 to cease fire in 1973) 8,744,000 Deployed to Southeast Asia 3,403,000 Battle Deaths 47,434 (from 11/1955 to 1/15/1975) Other Deaths (In Theater from 11/1955 to 1/15/1975) 10,786 Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater from 11/1955 to 1/15/1975) 32,000 Non-mortal Wounded 153,303 (another 150, 341 required not hospital care)


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Living Veterans (based on population projections) 10 7,391,000 Back to Top 21 - KAKE (ABC-10, Video): Vietnam vets honored at VA forum (29 March, Mike Iuen, 535k online visitors/mo; Wichita, KS) There have been forums held at the VA before but this one is special -- recognizing Vietnam veterans more than 50 years after the state of the war. The Director of the VA regional office, Karen Townsend spoke to the crowd, her voice cracking as she spoke to the Vets. "To honor the 58,307 service members who never came home," said a tearful Townsend. "I'm going to get emotional." The Dole VA also honored 9 million Vietnam veterans across the country. Not only by answering their medical questions but recognizing their service. Each Vietnam vet was presented with a lapel pin and a certificate, a late but well deserved thank you. "And when we came back it wasn't the greatest thing in the world but to see this today," said Vietnam War vet Larry Shippy. "It does bring back emotions." The Vietnam vets face everything from PTSD to agent orange exposure dealing with a VA that is reducing the backlog of claims. But perhaps the toughest part for the vets are the friends lost in battle. When asked if he ever thought of those friends as the years have gone by Vietnam vet Bruce Kouba choked up. "I've got one that I think of every day," Kouda said. "Lost him on the 26th of February of '69 along with 10 others that day." The VA helped veterans on the spot with claims issues, and remembered the President's proclamation making March 29th Vietnam Veteran's Day. "I am sure that when I leave this world my last thoughts will be of my family and my commrades," said Vietnam vet James Denison. "Such good men. Such good men." So many of the veterans got their medical questions answered but more importantly they finally got the recognition they deserve. Back to Top 22 - Ventura County Star: Shunned decades ago, Vietnam vets are honored and thanked (29 March, Tom Kisken, 529k online visitors/mo; Camarillo, CA)


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At the front of a room filled with Vietnam veterans, a blue banner offered this message Tuesday: "A grateful nation thanks and honors you." Bill Rowley, wearing his Army 1st Calvary Division cap, remembered people glaring at him as he walked through a San Francisco airport on his way back from the Vietnam War in 1970. Nobody spat at him. But the anger was tangible. It made him feel like a target. "What I wanted to do was get out of my uniform as fast as I could," he said, explaining his reaction to the banner displayed Tuesday at the Ventura Vet Center on a day proclaimed Vietnam Veterans Day. "I appreciate it greatly. It does mean something," said the retired middle school teacher from Camarillo. "I just wished it would have happened 45 years ago." Dozens of Vietnam veterans — one in a red, white and blue shirt, another in a floppy camouflage hat — ate lasagna, listened to war poems and spoke of mortars at a center where many of them receive post-traumatic stress counseling. They came for a day attached to a nationwide commemoration of their service. For many organizers, a goal is to make amends for the name-calling, protests and rage that greeted the veterans when they came home decades ago. Efforts continued Wednesday, which was proclaimed Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day by state and Ventura County officials. Ventura County Supervisor Kathy Long's brother, Michael A. Martin, served in Vietnam, flying helicopters for the Army through clouds of Agent Orange. He died from complications of the exposure in 2009. Long was in high school during the war and remembers her brother's anger at being shunned when he came back from the war. "We should never, ever repeat what happened with the Vietnam vets," she said. Lewis Boyd, a Texan who now lives near Port Hueneme, served with the Army in the Mekong Delta. He was in the country for six months and 20 days before being rushed out in a medical evacuation. "Either I got too close to a mortar or it got too close to me," he said. Coming home was hard. He fought with everyone, triggering short stints in jail and then a behavioral institution. It was PTSD, but no one knew it. Four decades later, he's still dealing with the disorder, but now he gets treatment for it. "I wake up swinging every night," he said. "Everyone knows you don't walk into my room when I'm sleeping."


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Boyd isn't sure Vietnam was that different from other wars. Venice Honick contends every war is different. Honick leads the Vet Center, which is part of a national program attached to the Department of Veterans Affairs and created in 1979 for Vietnam vets struggling with civilian life. The Ventura center now offers counseling and services for combat veterans from all conflicts. Vietnam was unique because people were forced by a draft to fight in the war and then were rejected when they returned home. "It's almost like a betrayal," she said, explaining that the effects of the rejection and the trauma of combat are lasting. "I think a lot of people don't get that PTSD is chronic," Honick said. "They make comments like, 'Get over it.' It just goes to show they don't understand." U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Westlake Village, spoke at Tuesday's event. But most of the people there were veterans who receive services from the center. Forrest Frields entered Vietnam as a second lieutenant and left after two Army tours as a captain. He flew helicopters, scouting out locations for air and artillery strikes aimed at destroying North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces. "There were nine times when, for all reason, I should have been killed," said Frields, who received honors that included two distinguished flying crosses, an air medal for valor and a purple heart. The eyes of the retired photographer from Camarillo teared up as he told stories of the war and its aftereffects. He paused when asked if the war has stayed with him. "Oh, my God," he said, "it is me." Back to Top 23 - KTXL (FOX-40, Video): Sacramento VA Hospital Expands Emergency Department (29 March, Lonnie Wong, 512k online visitors/mo; Sacramento, CA) The Sacramento Veterans Affairs Hospital at Mather Field used the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War to dedicate its expanded emergency department on Tuesday. Several hundred veterans and their families cheered as VA Medical Center director David Stockwell announced that an agreement with Sacramento County would soon allow ambulances to bring vet patients to the new facility.


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The upgrade was dedicated to Vietnam-era vets who were also given commemorative pins. It's an attempt to create a different image of the VA hospital that serves veterans in the region, which stretches to the Oregon border. "This is their ER, they're connected to it, it's emotional for them, and it's state of the art health care too," said Stockwell. Just two years ago the VA was immersed in scandal after one hospital was accused of doctoring records to hide long waiting lists for VA patients. Since then, the head of the VA at the time, Eric Shinseki, resigned and more federal money was given to the VA. Sacramento Vietnam-era vet Joseph Jones said he was one of the ones who was "shuffled off" when trying to get treatment. He says the delay caused him to have neck surgery and he says he still suffers from partial paralysis. "The services back then was not as good as they are becoming," said Jones. He pointed out that he passed out during an X-ray appointment a day ago. "The response they gave to me to get to emergency was amazing," said Jones. Jones said the upgrade in facilities will be needed as a generation of vets becomes older. "We really do need to have the services in place so that when we do have incidents we have a place ot come to," said Jones. Congressman Ami Bera says continued funding for VA medical facilities has to be a bipartisan effort. "Democrats and Republicans, we should come together to make sure we're doing everything we can to serve our men and women (vets)," said Bera. Back to Top 24 - Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo VA unveils new emergency department (29 March, Aaron Davis, 488k online visitors/mo; Amarillo, TX) On Tuesday, the Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center cut the ribbon on its new $5 million, 8,200-square-foot emergency department as the nation commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. “This facility has been some 10 years in the making, and right down the hill we have new construction taking place. Friends, this is not money wasted,” said Charles Morris, President of the North Plains chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America. “This is an investment in the future. Our sons, our daughters, our future generations ... will know that when their time is done, they will come to a quality facility with the best people and a smile and a welcome, because in Amarillo, that’s the kind of people we are.”


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The facility increased the space available for the emergency department, added three exam rooms and three trauma rooms, and located the ambulance bay in a more accessible location. “As this campus grew, the ER got tucked around the back and it was on the hill and harder to get to,” said Michael Kiefer, director of the Amarillo VA. “In the last 76 years that this facility existed, only on Day 1 was there state-of-the-art emergency room facilities. Next Wednesday, we start services here and it’s long overdue and appreciated by a grateful community and a grateful staff.” The new emergency center expansion will continue to add more services in its second phase. A new elevator to bring veterans up to the inpatient area is slated to be completed in August, and renovation of the clinic space in the rear of the department will be completed in 2017. A new MRI radiology department is in planning, but does not yet have a date set for completion. “I hope you are seeing what I’m seeing,” Kiefer said. “What I’m seeing is not a shiny new facility with new toys, but a symbol, a commitment of a grateful nation to you all, our veterans in the Panhandle.” This development follows the opening of the Amarillo VA’s $6 million specialty clinic in 2013. The next phase of development for the Amarillo VA will include a primary care clinic. Planning started for the facility 10 years ago and construction started in September of 2014. The announcement of the new emergency department coincided with the national commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. “Our nation’s Vietnam War Commemorative is a long-overdue opportunity to give you the thanks you didn’t get when you returned back from your tours individually from Vietnam,” Kiefer said. “It really is a black mark on our nation to fail to recognize service members that put themselves at risk, and today and in years just preceding this, we’ve done a much better job of rectifying that injustice in welcoming our service members home.” In conjunction with the national day of recognition, Mayor Paul Harpole read off a proclamation by the city naming March 29 Vietnam Observance Day. “I think we’re standing in the best VA in the country, and I couldn’t be more proud of the service I’ve gotten here,” said Mayor Paul Harpole, who served two tours in Vietnam as crew chief on a Medevac helicopter. “To all you veterans who served in Vietnam, thank you. Mine was 48 years ago and I’ve got a couple more years until I hit 50, and this VA is probably how I’ll make it to 50. We are proud of everything that happens here.” BY THE NUMBERS $5 million cost 8,200-square-feet 3 Exam Rooms 3 Trauma Rooms


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2 Quiet Rooms 1 Triage/Isolation Room Back to Top 25 - Tucson News Now: Southern AZ VA honors Vietnam veterans with ceremony (29 March, Christine Pae, 447k online visitors/mo; Tucson, AZ) Dozens of people paid tribute to southern Arizona veterans on Tuesday as part of a ceremony to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System - Tucson campus hosted a ceremony, which honored veterans who served during the Vietnam War and in other calls of duty. Guest Speaker David Alegria spoke to his fellow veterans and recounted his time serving in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Each veteran then received a commemorative pin that said on the back, "A grateful nation thanks and honors you." Veterans, in addition to their friends and family, attended the brief ceremony to pay their respects. "The Vietnam vet has sometimes been one of the forgotten members of the military after our service, so it's nice to see programs that are recognizing those who served our country in Vietnam over the years," said Dominick Porretto, a retired U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam and other tours around the world. Nine million Americans served during the Vietnam War between 1955 to 1975. About 7.2 million are living today, according to the VA. Back to Top 26 - WWAY (ABC-3, Video): 50th Anniversary of Vietnam War Commemorated in the Port City (29 March, Alexa Block, 428k online visitors/mo; Wilmington, NC) The Wilmington community joined communities across the country to honor Vietnam veterans Tuesday morning. U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald designated March 29, 2016 as a day of commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. The Stamp Defiance Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution held a massing of colors ceremony.


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Marie Ashworth, a member of the Stamp Defiance Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, said she encourages people to support local veteran organizations. She said veterans need the support of their communities. “Honoring veterans who served their country and sometimes to the ultimate, and then come home to not good situations, that we do need to honor them and say to them ‘thank you’.” Vietnam War commemorative flag was added to the American flag that flies in front of city hall as well Tuesday. The flag flies near the corner of Third and Princess Streets. Back to Top 27 - Erie Times-News: Hundreds attend special ceremony honoring Erie-area Vietnam War veterans (29 March, Gerry Weiss, 427k online visitors/mo; Erie, PA) Dave Snyder was 19 when he was drafted by the U.S. Army and sent to Vietnam to serve two tours of combat. The Erie native had graduated from high school only four months earlier, and was working a night-shift job as a janitor. When he returned home in 1970, Snyder said nobody cared to hear about his experience with war. Which was fine with him because he didn't care too much to talk about it. Forty-six years later, he considers himself "one of the lucky ones" to have survived a war that killed more than 58,000 American soldiers, and damaged countless others. "No scratches. No drugs," said Snyder, 66, now a resident of North East. "I see some of these guys now. No legs. No arms. Drug problems. I got very lucky." Snyder was one of more than 400 people who attended a special ceremony Tuesday at the Erie County Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The event, which lasted about 30 minutes, paid tribute to area Vietnam War veterans. "There is a lot of fellowship here, a lot of camaraderie," said Bruce Baker, 68, of Corry. "Being with guys who were in the same place you were way back then, well, it means a lot." Baker served one year of combat in Vietnam for the U.S. Army. He was one of about 20 members of the Erie-area chapter of Patriot Guard Riders, a national veterans advocacy group, in attendance at Tuesday's ceremony. The Erie Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 135 E. 38th St., the local Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 435 and the Erie Vet Center, 240 W. 11th St., hosted the event. More than 150 Veterans Affairs centers nationwide honored Vietnam War veterans at ceremonies Tuesday.


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"Today we take time to slow down and remember what our freedom is," Melissa Sundin, interim director of the Erie VA, told the crowd, which included hundreds of local military veterans. "You sacrificed. Our country, our community, owes you a debt of gratitude." Cars packed parking spots and lined streets for several blocks surrounding the memorial, which sits in a grassy area at the intersection of State Street and Glenwood Park Avenue across from Veterans Stadium. At the ceremony, some veterans stood, some sat in wheelchairs, and some watched from the hill that overlooks the monuments. Erie County has more than 20,000 veterans. The largest group, about 5,800, served in the Vietnam War. "This is our history on each of these massive granite panels. It was veteran blood and veteran sweat that created this," Ken Kensill, a Vietnam War veteran who spent nearly two decades working to bring the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to Erie County, said to the crowd. "You came home and helped build the America that we love and cherish. Even though some Americans turned their backs on us, we never turned our back on America." Doris Krupinski, 91, of Harborcreek Township, walked slowly to the memorial before placing a wreath there to honor her son. Raymond Krupinski, a 21-year-old first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, was killed in action in Vietnam in 1969. His is one of 66 names engraved on the memorial, one for each of Erie County's veterans who died in the war. He is the only Vietnam War veteran from Erie County to be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest military award that can be given to a member of the Army. It is awarded for extraordinary heroism while engaged in an action against an enemy, and is behind only the Medal of Honor. "I respect all these men so much," Doris Krupinski said Tuesday. "It means everything for me to be here today." Back to Top 28 - The Commercial Appeal: Memphis area veterans, citizens honor 50th anniversary of Vietnam War (29 March, Kayleigh Skinner, 408k online visitors/mo; Memphis, TN) Vietnam veteran Jim Latham wiped tears from his eyes during a ceremony inside the theater of the Memphis VA Medical Center Tuesday morning. Latham and more than 100 other veterans and their families attended the Vietnam War 50th anniversary commemoration ceremony.


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"It gives us peace to some extent, but it also hurts real deep for the ones who didn't come back," said Latham, an Army veteran. "That's the main thing, don't thank me for my service, thank the ones who didn't come back. They're the important ones." The Memphis event was one of many that took place across the country on March 29, a day designated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to honor and recognize veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces from Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975. "By presidential proclamation issued on May 25, 2012, the Commemoration extends from its inaugural event on Memorial Day 2012 through Veterans Day 2025," according to a release from the VA Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs. Air Force veteran Robert Gurley, who also served in Vietnam, said the day's commemorations were a long-overdue, but welcome acknowledgement. "It's almost like saying thank you after all of these years, because it was an unpopular war at the time and, believe it or not, when we got back we didn't want the people to know we were veterans because it would look like we had done something wrong," Gurley said. "This is kind of like a small payback to recognize us because we should have been recognized." U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen spoke during the ceremony and thanked the veterans for their bravery and service. Attendees watched a short video titled "Thank You For Your Service (A Moment of Truth)." An all-veteran band performed "Amazing Grace" and the audience sang along. Their performance was followed by a short, somber ceremony to honor prisoners of war and others missing in action. Across town, a small crowd gathered inside the Memphis National Cemetery for a separate service to honor fallen Vietnam veterans. Some 2,554 people from the Mid-South died serving in the Vietnam War, according to "The Virtual Wall," the online listing of names included on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Listed by state, 1,311 were from Tennessee, 597 were from Arkansas, and 646 were from Mississippi. "Our nation's Vietnam War commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor, and thank our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices during one of America's longest wars," cemetery director Amanda Rhodes-Wharton said. Nine million Americans served in the war, and about 7.2 million of them are still alive today, she said. After Rhodes-Wharton spoke, members of the Daughters of the American Revolution and Memphis Shelby County Regents Council presented a red, white and blue wreath to rest at the cemetery in honor of the veterans. At the medical center, veteran Alfred Harris received a standing ovation after reading his poem "Birth of an American Veteran." "When this day is over, when my tour is done, I'll return home. Maybe in the silence of my life. Maybe decades later. Maybe broken and wounded, maybe not my old self, and maybe by the


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grace of God in one piece," he read to the tearful audience. "But surely, I will return asking no greater reward than to be well received, tended in my need, appreciated for my service, and free to share equally in the abundance of the land that I love. On that day, I will have been born an American veteran." Back to Top 29 - WCYB (NBC-5): Vietnam veterans honored for 50th anniversary (29 March, Olivia Bailey, 402k online visitors/mo; Bristol, VA) Tuesday, the country remembered the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam war. Veterans all over the nation taking time to honor those who served during the era. Nearly 2,500 Vietnam veterans are laid to rest at the Mountain Home National Cemetery in Johnson City. The military members honored by friends, families, and partners in combat as each individual name was read by one of 50 volunteers. The list took just over six hours to complete. "I'm that age. I didn't get to serve for medical reasons, but I had a lot of friends who did serve. This is a way I can give back," Wes Johnson said. He volunteers with Rolling Thunder, which is an organization that assists veterans. He said he recognized some of the names on the list from assisting at the Mountain Home VA Medical Center. Every person had a very distinct and special connection to why he or she offered to read through the list of names. "I thought of how they sacrificed their lives for us, and what their families have went through too that we might have the freedom that we have," volunteer Lula Bell Street said. Street said her husband and brother are both veterans. She enjoys helping whenever she can for veterans. "It's sort of hard to think about it, but we need to think about it. It helps with our healing process," Keith Jones said. Jones spent 1967 in vietnam with the army as a combat medic. "All of us lost lots of friends, and I think this is a way we can remember and show our respect," he said. Often, this era of war can bring back painful thoughts. "A lot of those gentlemen and ladies, when they came back, it was a whole different political climate at that time. They weren't really welcomed back. They didn't get their homecoming like a lot of the other veterans did," Historian and veteran Allen Jackson said. Johnson said, "When they came back from Vietnam, they were called baby killers. They were spit on, and it wasn't popular to be in the military then." That is why this Johnson City community wanted to make sure every single Vietnam veteran was honored. "To me, those veterans are not gone if they're still stuck into here, into your heart and they're remembered. So when they're not remembered anymore, then they are truly gone," Jackson said.


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Volunteers in Johnson City read 2,444 names of those Vietnam veterans buried at the cemetery. Of the veterans laid to rest there, 58 of those Vietnam veterans are from Washington County, Tennessee. Officials also recognized four veterans who were killed in Vietnam and two who are listed as missing in action. Back to Top 30 - WHO (NBC-13, Video): Iowa Vietnam War Veterans to be Honored Tuesday (29 March, 355k online visitors/mo; Des Moines, IA) Iowans are coming together Tuesday to honor Vietnam War veterans. Tuesday afternoon, Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense are commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. They'll be holding a recognition ceremony to thank Iowans who fought in the war. That's at 2:00 p.m. at the VA Medical Center at 3600 30th Street. This is a multi-year commemoration of America's participation in the Vietnam War. Back to Top 31 - WXOW (ABC-19, Video): Tomah VA honors its Vietnam Vets (29 March, Ginna Roe, 351k online visitors/mo; La Crescent, MN) The Tomah VA honored its Vietnam Veterans Tuesday, giving them the thanks the never received when they came home from war. It's all a part of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. Hundreds of Vietnam Vets were at the VA for the commemoration ceremony. All veterans who served on active duty from November 1st, 1955 to May 15th,1975 were invited to join. "This is great. We needed this and we appreciate it," Veteran Terry Towne said. After 50 years of waiting, he said this was a thank you he needed to hear. "A lot of guys felt forgotten," Frank Smith, fellow Vietnam Veteran said. "The guys that went over there were sent by their country. They fought and died, some came home maimed, will never be the same, some don't even know they been home," Towne said. 7.2 million Vietnam Veterans are still living and some have yet to be thanked. Smith said he's just looking for closure and a chance to feel appreciated. On Tuesday, he got that closure and an official token of gratitude, a lapel pin that the veterans can wear with pride.


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"It was important for us to acknowledge their service, what they have done for our country, not only in terms of what was done during the Vietnam War, but also what happened after that, their service to the community after that," Matthew Gowan, Public Affairs Officer at the Tomah VA said. The unexpected gift of a pin brought back memories, some difficult to face. "I thought, man, I've been hit. I pulled my hand down and I got hair in it, I got blood in it and I thought why ain't I falling down?" Towne remembered, "I look around and this guy over here, the only thing left was his legs. His feet were still running. The rest of him was gone. That's kind of tough to live with," he said, fighting back tears. While time can heal some wounds, there will always be scars. But these veterans said on Tuesday they were able to wear those scars with pride. Back to Top 32 - The Modesto Bee: Modesto-area Vietnam veterans thanked for their sacrifice, forgiveness (29 March, Deke Farrow, 319k online visitors/mo; Modesto, CA) In a 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War, nearly 500 veterans of that conflict received pins, challenge coins and belated messages of “Thank you” and “Welcome home.” The event Tuesday afternoon at John Thurman Field began with the veterans parading into the ballfield to a reception of cheers, whistles and signs that read “We honor you,” “We support our troops” and more. Because the host organization, the Modesto Vet Center, spread the word to invite Vietnam vets, many knew what was in store: a flyover, remarks from local dignitaries and the ceremony in which veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan fastened lapel pins on older veterans. Others were surprised. Navy veteran Charles Abrahamson, who served on a tanker ship from 1963-67, said, “My road captain called and said to meet at the clubhouse. That was about it.” If he’d known what was in store, Abrahamson said, he’d have worn one of his vests with medals and “a million buttons” on it. The messages that went out to the assembled Vietnam vets were of thanks and of regret for the way the nation treated so many of them upon their return from the controversial war. “Of all the veterans, you were the most forgotten and blamed for what was going on,” Modesto police Chief Galen Carroll told the crowd. Because of the shameful way the country received its returning soldiers, veterans of conflicts since then have been rightfully remembered and honored, he said. Mayor Ted Brandvold, whose father served in the Korean and Vietnam wars, said he remembers tearful farewells as his dad would leave for tours of duty. He said the homecoming Vietnam vets received was, at best, cold. “You had to return home discreetly, in your street clothes, because of the attitude at the time,” he said. Fifty-eight thousand men and women gave their lives in the war, Brandvold said. “Considering their sacrifices, they deserved better. … To each one of you, and my father, welcome home.”


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The keynote speaker at the commemoration was U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock, who served 16 years in the Air Force and was in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Restore Hope, in Iraq and Somalia, respectively. He recognized that many young Americans did not choose to be part of the conflict in Vietnam, but when called stepped forward and “wore the cloth of this great nation.” “You fought two wars – one in the jungle abroad and then coming home to a group of people that were ungrateful. Because of you, that will never happen again,” he said to strong applause. From the scars of napalm to post-traumatic stress disorder to the lasting effects of Agent Orange, the wounds of Vietnam veterans are different from those of other wars, the congressman noted. “We must build the French Camp megaclinic immediately. Veterans should not have to drive to Palo Alto or other faraway places just to be seen by other veterans … who understand the battles of war and the pains and injuries that have ensued afterward.” Denham closed by thanking Vietnam veterans for their service and sacrifice and for forgiving a nation that treated them poorly upon their return. “The Vietnam veteran is as much a soldier, friend, son, brother, husband and hero as anyone else who will ever wear the uniform of this country,” he said. “There was no other war at any other time in the history of man where a country placed young men in a place to die for their country while being chastised by those who misunderstood the nature of sacrifice and service.” Modesto resident Thomas Keese, who served in the Army 173rd Airborne, said he learned to forgive so he could heal. He was in Vietnam for a year, starting in April 1966. He was based at Camp Ray about 30 miles from Saigon, said Keese, who choked up as he talked about his faith in the Lord being the only thing that kept him going for many years. Returning home, “I had a lot wrong with me, dysentery and stuff,” and was treated poorly at a Veterans Affairs hospital, he said. “They kicked me out, said there was nothing wrong with me. A lot of guys would never get over that, said they’d never go to a VA hospital again.” “I could feel stuff inside my body,” he added. Whatever was happening to him, it magnified any other ailments. “Something like an earache would get 10 times worse.” It took 15 to 20 years for his health problems to subside, Keese said. “Later on, they were trying to figure out all the problems Agent Orange was causing, like cancers. I don’t think they still really know.” Air Force veteran Steve Loya, who served in 1966-67 at a secret base in Thailand, said he’s still working on forgiveness. “Betrayal, anger is what I felt,” he said of returning home from the war. “As soon as I came off the airport in San Francisco, backs were turned to me instead of ‘Welcome home’ or ‘Thank you.’ I still remember that feeling today of ‘Where’s everybody at? Shouldn’t there be somebody to welcome us all home?’ … I’m glad for the belated thanks, but it’s not gonna take away for me the treatment I got coming home.” Loya, who lost friends in the war and has suffered PTSD, said he’s still in the process of healing. The anger and resentment are deep, he said, like ruts left by wheels in mud that has hardened. He said he’s hoping for rain to come down and help smooth them out. Back to Top


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33 - WLUC (NBC-6, Video): Vietnam Veterans are not forgotten (29 March, Monique Lopez, 315k online visitors/mo; Negaunee, MI) It's been 50 years since the Vietnam War and the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain held a ceremony, honoring Vietnam War veterans. Vietnam veterans were all presented with Vietnam War Commemoration Pins at the event. Displays of Vietnam War timelines, maps and memorabilia ignited memories of a war and time all veterans there share. "Good memories of the guys you were with that I can remember; a lot of it I don't remember anymore," Vietnam War veteran and Purple Heart recipient Dale LaPalme said. "But the guys I served with, they're all good guys. Because, when you're there, you have to depend on everybody. You get to know everybody; you get to be friends...a brotherhood, definitely." Vietnam veteran and featured speaker Joe Stevens also stood before his fellow comrades to remember the war they all bravely fought in. "I just remember the casualness of, 'Oh, well, you're home. Don't talk about it. Go on with your life.' But I don't have to tell you guys that because you know all about that," Stevens said to the other Vietnam War veterans there. Memories of returning home from a war to a nation during a contentious time in history, is still a sore spot for a lot these veterans. "What we didn't...you know, the welcome home that we didn't get. When I came home and I went back to work, I don't remember anybody even asking me about Vietnam and, you know, you think about that," LaPalme said. "You think about why didn't anybody ask about it? It has cold feelings, there's no doubt about that." The commemoration events that took place were to thank and honor Vietnam War vets and their families. For many of the veterans who served in that era, this recognition by their community and their country has been a long time coming. "It's a start," Stevens said. "I mean, there's been Vietnam parades in the past, there's been 'Welcome Home' parades and there's been a lot going on but for the government to welcome Vietnam vets for 50 years, I think it's a start. I think it's something that, and maybe I shouldn't say this but, is a little bit overdue." Although we could never really take back the treatment of the veterans as they returned in that era, this is definitely one step in the right direction. Back to Top 34 - Montgomery Advertiser: CAVHCS to host commemorative Vietnam War ceremony (29 March, Rebecca Burylo, 301k online visitors/mo; Montgomery, AL)


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Tuesday marks the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War, and veterans and their families are welcomed to attend a special commemorative ceremony in their honor at Montgomery’s Central Alabama Health Care System on Perry Hill Road at 11 a.m. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has joined with the Department of Defense and designated March 29 as a day to express gratitude and support for veterans as part of the 50th anniversary. U.S. involvement in the war lasted 20 years from Nov. 1, 1955, to April 30, 1975, during which nearly 60,000 U.S. soldiers lost their lives. Tuesday's event will feature several speakers personally thanking veterans for their service, honoring those who served as prisoners of war and remembering those who died. Maxwell’s Honor Guard is scheduled to attend and present the colors. A free, lunch will be provided to guests after the conclusion of the ceremony at noon. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington lists the names of 58,307 soldiers who were killed in the Vietnam War or who were wounded in Vietnam from 1957-75 and died of their wounds. Of the nine million Americans who served during the war, seven million Vietnam War-era veterans still live today. About 33,000 of those live in Alabama. In Montgomery County, 49 men lost their lives in the war and the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 607 funded a memorial wall to place their names on at CAVHCS. It is one of three similar monuments the chapter has erected in surrounding counties and was unveiled last year. Tuesday, chapter member will join CAVHCS and other VA medical facilities across the system to host similar events to honor veterans for their service. Back to Top 35 - Billings Gazette: 'Welcome home': Billings remembers the Vietnam War 50 years later (29 March, Matt Hudson, 282k online visitors/mo; Billings, MT) War veterans stood as the band played the service songs of each U.S. military branch at a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Backed by the Billings Central Catholic High School band, the event took place Tuesday at the Billings VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic. A large crowd of veterans and supporters filled the facility's long lobby. "For all of the folks seated here, the first thing I want to say is, 'Welcome home,'" said Todd Kurkoski, spokesman for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Billings.


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The ceremony was part of a 50th anniversary event started in a proclamation by President Barack Obama in 2012. On Saturday, veterans laid wreaths at the Yellowstone National Cemetery to honor more than 160 veterans who were laid to rest there. The U.S. Marine Corps color guard presented flags on Tuesday, and there was a prayer given for the veterans — especially those who weren't around. Kurkoski spoke about the dignity in service of those men and women in an unpopular war. He motioned to the table with a white cloth and single empty seat, which is a familiar installation at veterans facilities that honor prisoners of war and those missing in action. "They are commonly called POWs or MIAs," Kurkoski said. "We call them brothers and sisters." The United States officially entered the Vietnam War in August 1964, according to the VA. There were bombing raids first, followed by ground troops. By the time it was over, 2.7 million Americans had served; 58,000 had died; and 153,000 were wounded. Mike Wyrwas was there in 1965 and 1966, fighting in Vietnam as a Marine. He said that this is a special anniversary for him, and he was happy to see the community respond. "It is really great to honor the vets on the 50th anniversary," he said. "We're just ordinary people, serving our community with honor and pride." Wyrwas came home in September 1966 and remained in the Marines until 1971. For others, it was a reminder that public sentiment toward the Vietnam War wasn't completely positive. "It's nice to show, but 40 years too late to pat you on the head," said Russ Wisaman, who was an Army med-evac crew chief in 1970 and 1971 in Vietnam. Still, Wisaman said that the camaraderie among veterans was felt at Tuesday's ceremony. Pins were given to the Vietnam War veterans to recognize their service five decades ago. One woman pinned the memento on a veteran and said, "It's the first time you've been thanked for your time over there, huh?" As part of his proclamation, President Obama offered hope for recognition of service members. "We pledge to keep faith with those who were wounded and still carry the scars of war, seen and unseen," the proclamation said. The Vietnam War officially ended for the United States in 1975 by presidential proclamation. In accordance with that, the 50th anniversary commemoration will continue until 2025. Back to Top


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36 - WJHL (CBS-11, Video): Vietnam Veterans honored during VA ceremony (29 March, Douglas Counts, 272k online visitors/mo; Johnson City, TN) There was a special ceremony this morning for Vietnam era veterans at the VA in Johnson City. The Department of Veterans Affairs Mountain Home National Cemetery honored the service, sacrifice, and enduring achievements of the Vietnam Veterans during a Vietnam War Commemoration 50th Anniversary ceremony. 2,444 Vietnam era veterans are laid to rest at the Mountain Home Cemetery. ” It’s been a long time coming, we’ve had ceremonies at different times but to honored here at the cemetery and be here with the almost 2,500 Vietnam era vets that are buried here”, explains Vietnam Veteran Sam Jones, “It’s an emotional time for a lot of men and women that served in Vietnam but it’s an honor for this cemetery, as beautiful as it is, to come here and be able to be honored ourselves but to pay respect to those veterans that are here.” Twin brothers Jim and Jerry Hughes both served in Vietnam. Jerry Hughes feels for the families of the veterans, “We both survived, we just wonder about the families that lost their fathers, their daughters, their brothers during that same time and didn’t make it back.” Soldiers returning home from Vietnam didn’t get the same welcomes that veterans from other wars like WWII received explains Jones, “To be welcomed home and to have it meant after what some went thru more than others, to be spit on and called baby killers, told to take their uniform off by the military before we left our bases, and put on civilian clothes, it’s just an honor to be able to be respected.” The Hughes brothers echoed the sentiment, “When we came back, as most people know watching news media, we were never welcomed back, they told us not to be in uniform when we got on the plane, we had to change before we got to the U.S. because there were protests. In fact, when I came into San Francisco, they were protesting not only outside but they were protesting inside the terminal areas.” Prior to the ceremony, Mountain Home National Cemetery hosted The Roll Call of Honor. This is an event designed to pay tribute to the Vietnam Veterans laid to rest in our cemetery. Starting at 4am and continuing through the morning for the next 6 hours, almost 50 volunteers will have the opportunity to be a part of the once-in-a-lifetime event by paying homage to these valiant heroes of America by volunteering to read each of their names one by one. Many of the veterans and the families of those lost in Vietnam say this type ceremony is way overdue. “Oh, yes. Yes, it’s time. And it’s amazing when our Vietnam Veterans march together in parades, to get the respect, the stand up and say “welcome home” to people along the streets, very emotional.” says Jones. The Hughes brothers agree, “It’s way, way past due. It should have been done many, many years ago but it’s good that they have now recognized the Vietnam Vets because when you look at WWII vets, they are about gone.” Back to Top


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37 - Duluth News-Tribune: Vietnam vets to be celebrated today at Depot (29 March, 254k online visitors/mo; Duluth, MN) Celebrate Vietnam Vets — a free event with Sammy's Pizza, Deluxe Coney Island hot dogs and Bridgeman's ice cream — is set for 5-8 p.m. today in the Great Hall of the Depot in Duluth. It's hoped hundreds of vets from Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin will attend with friends and family, as well as surviving family members of servicemen killed in action. Veterans Affairs staff will be on hand to offer information on services for anyone who asks. Radio host and Vietnam veteran Brad Bennett is the emcee, and Duluth Mayor Emily Larson is scheduled to speak. Other elected officials have been invited. The public is invited as well, and organizers say the event is a chance for the community to say thank you to a vet — a sort of a belated welcome home party. The Depot party is one of more than 5,000 events across the U.S. planned or already held as the Vietnam War moves further into the depths of the nation's historical psyche. The parties are being organized by the VA with help from private donors or partners. The "United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration" is spread out over several years and, outside of veterans service organizations, isn't well-known. It was enacted by Congress in 2008 to "conduct a program on behalf of the nation that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War." As ordered by Congress, "The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration does what should have been done 50 years ago: Thank and honor our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice." Back to Top 38 - KCEN (NBC-6): Local Vietnam Veterans Honored During VA's 50th Vietnam War (29 March, 254k online visitors/mo; Eddy, TX) Community members formed two lines to make a walkway outside the Temple VA Hospital on Tuesday. Eagerly, they waved their American flags as Vietnam Veterans walked through the crowd. As each passed, they smiled and thanked them for their service and sacrifice. It was the homecoming they never received when returning from war. Even though it was decades late, the VA wanted to make sure these veterans felt appreciated for serving their country. “I felt we were finally welcomed home,” smiled Army Vietnam veteran Ernest Montgomery. “I feel so good. I'm on a high and I'm not coming down.”


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This was just the start of the VA's 50th Commemoration of the Vietnam War and their ceremony to honor central Texas Vietnam veterans for National Vietnam Veteran Day. For many of the veterans in attendance, they returned home to protestors who shamed and disgraced their service. Instead of receiving thanks, people spit and yelled at them. “It was disheartening. Here I was proud to be in uniform,” said Retired Staff Sgt. Robert Carter. “When I came home from Desert Storm in the same airport they were standing up and applauding. A couple of us just broke down and cried. We couldn't believe the reception we got because we had not had that before.” The past cannot be undone, but community members and the VA are trying to make up for those hurtful years. During the ceremony special pins were placed on each Vietnam veteran's collar to show the county's appreciation. “It was America finally saying we honor you for what you did,” said Montgomery. “I'm proud. I'll honor this the rest of my life.” “I just felt honored to be pinned today,” added Retired 1st Sgt. Chester Jordan, Jr. “I felt honored.” There ceremony also honored former Prisoners of War, those still considered missing, and the more than 58,000 killed during the Vietnam War. Back to Top 39 - WKRN (ABC-2): Vietnam veterans honored at Nashville Cemetery (29 March, 252k online visitors/mo; Nashville, TN) Vietnam War Veterans will be honored at a special ceremony at the Nashville National Cemetery on Tuesday. The event will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War and honor veterans of the war. Representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs will pin special Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins to each Vietnam veteran in attendance. The pins are designed specially for Vietnam vets to recognize and thank the veterans for their service. The ceremony begins at noon at the Nashville National Cemetery near Gallatin Pike S. north of Briley Parkway. Back to Top


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40 - KVII (ABC-7, Video): Amarillo VA honors veterans on 50th anniversary of Vietnam War (29 March, Jillian Idle, 247k online visitors/mo; Amarillo, TX) The Amarillo VA honored Vietnam Veterans in the Texas Panhandle during an event Tuesday afternoon, marking the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. President Barack Obama in 2012 declared March 29th as Vietnam Veterans Day. "There's a lot of us, we would be vegetables if it wasn't for each other to look out for each other, take care of each other," said veteran Hank Dompe. Veterans like Dompe said they rely on the services provided at the VA and are glad the Amarillo VA is expanding services to meet the needs of veterans in the community. Veterans who served in other wars were also in attendance. Many said they were there supporting their fellow veterans who they felt didn't receive a proper welcome home after returning from Vietnam. "They didn't get the reaction that I did when I came back," said On Tuesday afternoon, the Amarillo VA also hosted a ribbon cutting for the new Emergency Department. The newest addition will provide services that veterans used to have to travel to other facilities to receive care for. "It will mean a lot as the years go by," said Amarillo Mayor Paul Harpole. The VA expects the facility to open for service on April 6. Back to Top 41 - Winston-Salem Journal (Video): Vietnam veterans' service honored during ceremony in Kernersville (29 March, John Hinton, 246k online visitors/mo; Winston Salem, NC) Nearly 400 people attended a commemoration Tuesday of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, a conflict that deeply divided the United States. The Salisbury Veterans Affairs Medical and the Veterans Benefits Administration Regional Office held the ceremony in the recently opened Kernersville VA Health Care Center at 1695 Kernersville Medical Parkway. The commemoration was one of several hundred events nationwide Tuesday to honor about 9 million veterans who served during the Vietnam War era. More than 58,000 Americans died in the war, and their names are etched on the black granite Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. In Kernersville, many veterans wore their service insignia on their caps. Others wore parts of their military uniforms. Some of the veterans — mostly in their late 60s to early 70s — used canes as they walked. A few were in wheelchairs.


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“Today, we want to recognize you, our American heroes, and all that you have done,” said Brent Erickson, the administrator of the Kernersville VA Health Care Center. “I join a grateful nation in honoring Vietnam War veterans and their family members. We also mourn those who were lost in battle, and those who are no longer with us.” In 2012, President Barack Obama signed a proclamation that established May 28, 2012, through Nov. 11, 2025, as the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, and called for the federal government to participate with organizations and communities across the nation in honoring Vietnam veterans. The United States began increasing its military presence in South Vietnam in 1962, and the war ended with North Vietnamese soldiers capturing Saigon in April 1975. Garett Schreier, an associate director of patient care service at the Salisbury VA Medical Center, read Obama’s proclamation to the audience, which consisted mostly of veterans. “From Ia Drang to Khe Sanh, from Hue to Saigon and countless villages in between, they pushed through jungles and rice paddies, heat and monsoon, fighting heroically to protect the ideals we hold dear,” Schreier said, quoting Obama’s proclamation. “We draw inspiration from the heroes who suffered unspeakably as prisoners of war, yet who returned home with their heads held high. We pledge to keep faith with those who were wounded and still carry the scars of war, seen and unseen.” Retired Army Brig. Gen. Mike Combest of Clemmons called the veterans the country’s “noblest generation of fighters” because they fought in a war fiercely opposed by some Americans. “We owe these warriors a gratitude that we can never repay,” Combest said. In the 1960s and ’70s, opponents of the war criticized the veterans. Some were called “baby killers”; others were spat on in airports. Don Timmons of Clemmons, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam, saluted his fellow veterans before speaking at the ceremony. He encouraged Vietnam veterans to warmly welcome home veterans of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. “It was a different atmosphere when we came home,” said Timmons, a regional community partnerships coordinator for the Hospice & Palliative CareCenter in Winston-Salem. “Let’s not ever let that happen again.” After the ceremony, Timmons said that Tuesday’s commemoration was significant. “But it will never make up for” America’s failure to recognize the service of Vietnam veterans, he said. “I think the public respects veterans more now that in the past because war came our shores on 9/11. It makes it real when New York is smoking.” During the ceremony, Cheryl Rawls, the director of Winston-Salem’s Veterans Benefits Administration office, said that Vietnam veterans should have been praised publicly when they returned from the war. “We want to thank you,” Rawls told the veterans. “We want to honor you. We want to be there for you.”


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VA officials ended the event by giving the veterans commemorative pins for their war service. Milton Wright of Winston-Salem, who served in the Army 101st Airborne Division in South Vietnam from 1966 to 1967, said he appreciated Tuesday’s ceremony, but he said he also thinks it didn’t make up for the lack of recognition of his service when he returned to North Carolina. “We didn’t get any honors like the veterans who came home from serving in the Middle East,” Wright said, referring to the two Persian Gulf conflicts. Back to Top 42 - WECT (NBC-6): Flag honors Vietnam veterans in Wilmington, across the country (29 March, 236k online visitors/mo; Wilmington, NC) A flag will honor Vietnam veterans in Wilmington and across the country. A small ceremony celebrating those war veterans took place in downtown Wilmington Tuesday morning. More than 9,000 organizations across the country are flying flags to honor them, according to Marie Ashworth with the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Ashworth said her organization is partnering with the US Department of Veteran Affairs and Department of Defense. “All these men and woman came home to derision and some of them were spat on, they were just not honored and they did for their country what they thought was right,” said Ashworth. Another small ceremony took place at St. Pauls Episcopal Church in Wilmington. Ashworth said the flag will fly on Wednesday and then will be taken down. They hope to continue this tradition for the next several years. Back to Top 43 - The Shreveport Times (Video): Vietnam vets honored for their sacrifices (29 March, Lex Talamo, 218k online visitors/mo; Shreveport, LA) More than 100 veterans were honored Tuesday for their services and sacrifices during the Vietnam War. Some stooped, some limped, some used canes — but all stood proudly as they lined up to shake the hands of distinguished guests, including Bossier City Mayor Lo Walker, who wanted to recognize their dedication to the country's freedom. Many of the veterans in attendance at Tuesday's ceremony felt grateful to be alive and recognized but also acknowledged the recognition came on the heels of years of mistreatment, ridicule and suffering in silence while trying to cope with war trauma after they returned home.


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"I appreciate that they are finally honoring us. It's been a long time coming but there's been a change in how people perceive the military," said Gerald Wilcoxen, who spent 2 1/2 years in the U.S. Marines. "I'm thankful to be here. I feel honored to be alive." Toby Mathew, Overton Brooks VA Medical Center's medical director and one of the ceremony's keynote speakers, spoke to how Vietnam veterans often returned home from years of service to be blamed for the war and mocked, despite having served more days in combat — an average 240 days of the year— than those who served at any other time in U.S. history. "History shows us Vietnam veterans coming home from the war were encouraged to come home, not in uniform, but in civilian clothes. Those who served in Vietnam came home with visible and unseen injuries of the war," Mathew said. "Veterans were left to treat these wounds alone." The Vietnam Veteran's Day ceremony — commemorating the March 29, 1973 final return of U.S. troops from Vietnam, marking the end of U.S. involvement in the war — was at Overton Brooks VA Medical Center. Honored veterans received Vietnam Veteran lapel pins—emblazoned with an eagle for courage, a blue circle for vigilance and a laurel wreath representing victory — in recognition and gratitude of their active service duty between Nov. 1, 1955 and May 15, 1975. Those in attendance let out a resounding shout when Maj. Ronald Chatelain— a Louisiana native considered one of the nation's highest decorated veterans with a Distinguished Service Cross for valor, the Silver Star for heroism, the Bronze star for valorous action and the Army Commendation medal for valor, among other accolades — took the stand. "Today we celebrate brave men and women who served with honor," Chatelain said. "We did what was required of us. It wasn't about killing the enemy. It was about doing what you had to do to come home alive to your family. I thank each and every one of you for your service to our country." Chatelain's message resonated with veterans. "I feel very fortunate," said six-year U.S. Army veteran Will Bryant. "I answered the call, and that's what it's all about." Kerry Mullone, who served in the U.S. Army in 1968-1969, said he enjoyed his time in the service and appreciated the recognition. "I enjoyed my time in the service because I learned a lot about life," Mullone said. "I want to thank the VA for taking care of us and all the services they provide. I feel great because a lot of people didn't get the chance to be recognized." As of 2014, more than 1,600 American veterans never returned home from the war, according to the center's statistics. In honor of those still missing, the center set up a "Missing Man Table" with a rose, a lit candle and a service cover hat for the branches that served in the war: the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force. Shannon Arledge, center spokesman, led the audience in a moment of silence to remember those who didn't come home. Veterans then lined up to receive their commemoration pins.


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Mathew said 78 members of the center's staff are Vietnam veterans, and Arledge added an additional 20 veterans at the hospital for inpatient care also received pins. Kenneth Epperson, District 12 Caddo commissioner, said the ceremony was fitting and well-deserved. "We shouldn't ever forget our veterans from Vietnam or from any other war. It's because of their sacrifices that we enjoy freedom as citizens of America," Epperson said. "Less than 1 percent of the population defends not only America but the world, and they deserve every award and recognition they can get." Back to Top 44 - WSLS (NBC-10, Video): Veterans honored in pinning ceremony on Vietnam Veterans Day (29 March, Erin Brookshier, 199k online visitors/mo; Roanoke, VA) Vietnam Veterans will be honored at a special pinning ceremony tonight in honor of Vietnam Veterans Day. On March 29, 1973, the last combat soldiers left Vietnam and one year later, March 29 was declared Vietnam Veterans Day by President Richard Nixon. Tonight a big commemoration ceremony will take place at the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center to thank and honor the men and women who served our country during the Vietnam War era. Every veteran who served on active duty between November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975 is invited, regardless of where they were stationed. This is one of several events in our area that’s been held over the past few years in an effort to give out the commemorative lapel pins. Every veteran that served during that time period is eligible to receive one of the pins as a thank you from our community and the nation. Today’s ceremony is hosted by the Salem VA Medical Center and the Veterans Benefits Administration. Ceremonies like this are being held all over the nation today, to thank and honor a group of veterans who didn’t always get the respect they deserved. “Fifty years ago, when the Vietnam Era Veteran came home, regardless of whether they served in the country, in theater or just served during that period, they weren’t treated in the best fashion and they certainly weren’t welcomed home,” says Col. (R) John Miller, President of the local Association of the U.S. Army. “I think there’s an effort now to try and correct that at the national level and we want to do our part at the local level as well.” On the front of the pin is an eagle and markers to represent all six of the allies involved in the conflict. The back of the pin has a special note, reading: “A grateful nation thanks and honors you.” “There are 7.2 million living Vietnam Veterans in the United States and the intent is to give each of them one of these lapel pins,” says Miller. There are more than 400 Vietnam Era Veterans living in our area, and many of them have still not received their pin.


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Tonight’s ceremony begins at 6 p.m. at the Salem VA Medical Center Auditorium in Building 5. There’s no need to preregister or sign up if you’d like to attend. Back to Top 45 - KUSI (TV-9): VA San Diego thanks Vietnam War Veterans (29 March, 188k online visitors/mo; San Diego, CA) It has been more than 60 years since the beginning of the war in Vietnam and Tuesday, the nation is recognizing veterans with a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. In San Diego Veterans Affairs (VA) offices are hosting a free ceremony to recognize veterans who served in the war that lasted almost 20 years. The event begins at 11 a.m. at the Scottish Rite Event Center in Mission Valley and will feature a ceremony with presentation of Vietnam Veteran lapel pins. Items from the Veterans Museum at Balboa Park will be on display. The VA offices will also provide booths with information on benefits and resources for veterans. Similar events are being held by VA facilities across the nation. Earlier, at the National Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C., Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald and Defense Secretary Ashton Carter laid a wreath to honor those who served. Nine million Americans served and 58,000 lost their lives during the Vietnam War which started in 1955 and lasted until 1975. Back to Top 46 - Kennebec Journal: Togus ceremony honors Vietnam vets, families, The facility was one of more than 300 places across the country to commemorate those who served in Vietnam (29 March, Charles Eichacker, 170k online visitors/mo; Augusta, ME) Nearly 200 people gathered at the state’s only veterans’ hospital Tuesday for a ceremony honoring those who served in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. The event was one of many held across the country as part of a national effort launched by President Barack Obama in 2012 to commemorate Vietnam veterans and their families. The more than 9 million Americans who served in that war, along with their loved ones back home, never were honored appropriately for their service, Obama said at the time. “One of the most painful chapters in our history was Vietnam — most particularly, how we treated our troops who served there,” Obama said in remarks to veterans that year. “You were often blamed for a war you didn’t start, when you should have been commended for serving your country with valor.”


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That sentiment was echoed by many who spoke Tuesday at VA Maine Health Care Systems-Togus. The speakers included Gov. Paul LePage, officials with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and representatives from every member of Maine’s congressional delegation. LePage mentioned that he was a college student during the war, He called the treatment of veterans on college campuses at the time “shameful.” “Nobody realized it wasn’t your fault,” he said. After remarks by LePage, Togus Director Ryan Lilly and others, the Vietnam veterans who attended the event were presented with honorary lapel pins featuring the likeness of a bald eagle and the message, “A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You.” They were also treated to slices of a specially made cake on which “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans” was stenciled in green frosting. The veterans received several long ovations during the ceremony, which was held in a theater on the Togus campus. Banners with the insignias of the various armed forces were hanging from the walls of the venue, and those in attendance wore hats, coats and patches representing their own ranks and distinctions. According to Lilly, the event was meant to celebrate all men and women who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, even if they did not serve in Vietnam. About 7 million of those who served in those years are still living. “They really didn’t do this when the war was going on, because it was such an unpopular war and there was so much uncertainty about what going on,” Lilly said of the ceremony. The Vietnam War stretched from the mid-1950s to 1975, and close to 60,000 Americans died in it, according to the National Archives. The memories of fighting in it have followed veterans such as Bill Schwarz, a 70-year-old Brewer resident who drove down for the ceremony with his wife, Peg. Schwarz enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at the age of 17 and served in Vietnam from 1965 to 1966 and 1968 to 1969, he said. He and Peg married in the period between his two deployments, Schwarz said, and two fellow Marines who attended their wedding did not survive the second tour. He has post-traumatic stress disorder, he said, and he teared up when recalling the experience. Schwarz said he appreciated Tuesday’s ceremony. For him, the nicest surprise was remarks by some of the event’s speakers directed at the family members of veterans. He and Peg had a son by the time he left for Vietnam, and he recalled how difficult it was communicating with them. “The families are the ones that suffered. I’m glad they said something about them,” he said. “The cake was good, too.” Another veteran, Larry Smith, 69, of Chelsea, said he served as a medic in Da Nang, the Vietnamese city from which many U.S. aircraft left the conflict. He and his fellow medics field-


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dressed 60 to 120 casualties per day, Smith said, and he, too, counts post-traumatic stress disorder among the results of his service. Smith, who eventually became a nurse and worked at Togus before retiring in the 1990s, said the more opportunities veterans have to bond with each other and hear they’re not alone, the better. Both Smith and Schwarz said they felt unappreciated after returning from their service in Vietnam. But according to Smith, events such as Tuesday’s are part of the solution. “I just think it’s part of the healing process,” Smith said. “Anything that can make veterans feel better about themselves and not feel like discards is a good thing.” According to Lilly, the Togus director, the ceremony Tuesday was the first of many he hopes will take place around Maine. More than 300 such events took place Tuesday at VA medical centers, regional benefit offices and national cemeteries around the country. Back to Top 47 - WLBC (NBC-2, Video): VA honors, thanks Vietnam veterans (29 March, 169k online visitors/mo; Bangor, ME) America's most recent military veterans—those from Afghanistan and Iraq—continue to be welcomed home and receive help with jobs and emotions support from both government and private business groups. But many of America’s Vietnam veterans say they still feel the hurt of being ignored many years ago. Maine has about 44,000 Vietnam veterans, and on Tuesday, the Veterans Administration began what will be a years-long effort to thank them. Leaders of VA Maine at Togus held a special ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam war, based on a goal set several years ago by the Obama Administration. Governor Paul LePage spoke to the veterans’ audience about the animosity many veterans encountered when they came home from the war. ”What nobody realized is it wasn’t your fault. Your country asked you to go fight a war. And you were scorned, ridiculed and embarrassed when you came home you didn’t dare wear your uniform,” LePage said. Veterans say they appreciate the effort to thank them. “Long overdue…I appreciate it," Navy vet Cliff Hooper of Belfast said. His friend Steve Brown said he was bothered for years about the way he and other Vietnam vets were treated when they came home, although he said the VA thank you was very welcome. “...but after something like this here, it’s well appreciated now.” Said Brown. “And life goes on.” The VA says it will continue holding events for Vietnam veterans from now through 2025.


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Back to Top 48 - KVOA (NBC-4): Tucson Vietnam veterans honored on 50th anniversary (29 March, 166k online visitors/mo; Tucson, AZ) Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. It was a day of reflection and gratitude at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, where officials hosted a ceremony honoring local Vietnam veterans. More than 100 vets gathered to hear war stories, and to receive special commemoration pins in honor of the anniversary. “The purpose is for veterans not to be forgotten," said Luke Johnson, Assistant Public Affairs Officer at the Southern Arizona VA. "And I think a lot of them were very touched that we thanked them. And for me personally, it was very emotional because both my dad and my uncle served in Vietnam.” Around nine million American veterans served in the military during the roughly 19-year Vietnam era. One of those veterans is Jesse Pina of Tucson. “I served in the Vietnam War and was part of many operations, like Operation Eagle Pull and Operation Frequent Wind,” said Pina. There was loss and hardship during the war for him. ”I had a brother who served in Vietnam in the late 60s. And he passed away in the Vietnam War,” said Pina. Now he works for the very same organization that is honoring him today as a way to pay tribute. “I work here at the VA. I’ve worked here for years and years… it’s like giving it back,” said Pina. Johnson said events like today’s show veterans that the community appreciates them. “Many of the veterans told stories that when they came back, they didn't get a good welcome," said Johnson. "So this is finally saying welcome home and… to make them feel proud of what they did in service of their country during the Vietnam War." And for veterans like Pina, it feels good to hear the words ‘thank you’. “I was just glad they finally recognized Vietnam vets," said Pina. "It was an honor for them to do this.. I was proud to serve my country." Vietnam commemoration events were held around the country today, through a collaboration between the Department of Defense and the Veterans Affairs Department.


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The Tucson event was such a success, organizers say they actually ran out of anniversary pins. But they have ordered more for those veterans who didn’t receive one. Back to Top 49 - Las Cruces Sun-News: Veterans honored during 50th anniversary of Vietnam War (29 March, Steve Ramierz, 149k online visitors/mo; Las Cruces, NM) Hundreds of southern New Mexico veterans were honored Tuesday for their military service during the Vietnam War. One by one, in loud or soft voices, they stood before a large gathering inside American Legion Post 10 and said their name, branch of military service, and the unit, and time, they served in Vietnam. There were applause and often cheers, and some shouts, after their brief introductions. "We were all young," said Jose A. "Joe" Ray Jr., a Silver City town council member, who served with the U.S. Army's 23rd and 25th Infantry Divisions in Vietnam in 1971 and 1972. "Some of us went because we needed to, some because we wanted to. To me, this is all about veterans; we had to move forward." Decades after coming home from Vietnam, Ray and his fellow veterans are finally getting enthusiastic public acknowledgement that is overdue and deserved. Tuesday, the veterans were treated to lunch and each was presented a Vietnam Veteran lapel pin. The lunch and pins were the focal points of a Vietnam War Commemoration of the 50th anniversary of U.S. escalation of the Vietnam War. Tuesday's event was organized by the Las Cruces Vet Center. It was one of more than 5,200 similar events being conducted across the United States to recognize and honor Vietnam veterans. "This is veterans for veterans, and that's the way it should be," said Ray, explaining why each veteran recognized at Tuesday's ceremony was so enthusiastically treated. Las Crucen Roy Martin said that kind of treatment didn't always happen. "Some of them came home from Vietnam and were spit on," said Martin, a U.S. Air Force veteran, who is second vice commander of American Legion Post 10. "Something like this is a nice commemoration for what we did, especially for those who are still suffering. I overheard some them say this feels like home here." Martin was in Vietnam from March 1969 until March 1970, and was in the Air Force for 32 years. There are different perspectives of the time spent in Vietnam, depending on where veterans served. "For those that were in the jungles, it was pure hell," Martin said. "For me, it was not as bad because I didn't have to go there. But I remember guys who came out of the jungles who looked


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pretty bad. I remember one time when one of those guys asked if he could use one of our bunks. He looked so grisly we just said 'sure,' because he really looked like he needed that." Armando Amador, of Bayard, described Tuesday's ceremony as a "blessing." "It is a blessing we made it back home," Amador said. "It is a blessing we are able to move forward." Amador is among a small group of New Mexico veterans who strongly pushed for the establishment of the Las Cruces Vet Center. For 20 years, Amador and other veterans met with New Mexico's congressional delegation, often reminding elected leaders, and anyone else who would listen, the veterans needed help. "I needed someone to talk to. ... I knew something was wrong with me," said Amador, who was later determined to be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder after returning from Vietnam. "But there were other veterans, too. We started with four veterans and then it grew ... to 30, 60 and then 80." It took decades, but Amador and fellow veterans were able to convince federal officials to open a vet center in Las Cruces. "This was the first vet center to open south of I-40," Amador said of the Las Cruces Vet Center. "In Vietnam, we understood that we all had to work together for a cause. That's what we did here." Ruth Offutt, team leader of the Las Cruces Vet Center, said the accolades for the veterans are well deserved. "This is a special occasion to recognize Vietnam veterans," Offutt said. "For every veteran sitting here in this room, hopefully this is a fitting way of telling them this is your legacy." Back to Top 50 - Temple Daily Telegram: VA honors Vietnam veterans (29 March, Janice Gibbs, 123k online visitors/mo; Temple, TX) Richard Bosley served 14 months in Vietnam in the Army, beginning in 1971. He doesn’t share much information about his service because he was in a special security group working out of Da Nang. “I saw some action, serving in a couple of operations,” Bosley said. “That’s where I won my Bronze Star.” Bosley, accompanied by his wife, Valerie, was one of about 200 Vietnam veterans who attended the 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemoration at the Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Medical Center on Tuesday.


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The Vietnam War commemoration is a long overdue opportunity to honor and thank Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices, said Russell Lloyd, acting director of Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, which includes the Temple VA. Tuesday, Veteran Affair facilities across the country held special events honoring Vietnam War veterans. “The VA mission is to ‘care for him who shall have borne the battle,’” and what a great mission it is,” he said. Master of ceremonies Dr. Charles Foulks, associate chief of staff for education and research at the Temple VA, told those at the event with Vietnam veterans in their lives to encourage those men and women to talk about their experiences in southeast Asia. “We don’t want to lose that part of history of this country or of the conflict,” Foulks said. Each Vietnam veteran was presented with a lapel pin to signify their service in the Armed Forces between Nov. 1, 1955-May 15, 1975. “Each pin represents our thanks for your service,” Foulks said. “A ‘Grateful Nation Honors You’ is engraved on the back, closest to the heart of the wearer.” Bosley was drafted two months after he married. “I didn’t have any say so in the matter, but I’m proud that I served,” he said. Eula Jett joined the U.S. Women’s Army Corps in 1967 and served until 1976. She was a medical records technician when she was sent to Germany and her roommate was sent to Vietnam. “She never came back,” Jett said. “It still hurts.” Ken Wallingford, Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war, was the guest speaker. Wallingford was sent to Vietnam in 1970 and was assigned as a sniper with the 25th Infantry Division. He volunteered for a second tour and served as an advisor with Military Assistance Command Vietnam. While advising South Vietnamese troops in April 1972, he was one of three advisors taken prisoner, six days before his discharge. Wallingford was held in Cambodian jungles for more than 10 months. He now serves as senior advisor to the executive secretary of the Texas Veterans Land Board. “If America calls as he called each and every one of you it’s our obligation to serve,” Wallingford told the crowd. “We ended up serving a long time in a political way in a far away country that we didn’t know much about. The real heroes of the effort are those who didn’t come home and their families, Wallingford said.


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The complexity of the situation in Vietnam is apparent when historians still don’t agree when the war started. “We lost service members in the mid ’50s and combat operations actually began in the mid ’60s,” he said. Vietnam veterans were treated badly, often blamed for a war they didn’t start, Wallingford said. “We came home and many times we were denigrated when we should have been celebrated,” he said. “It was a national shame and thank goodness five decades later our country is recognizing the service of each and every one of you sitting here today. It’s long overdue. This is a chance to tell our story and set the record straight.” Vietnam veterans persevered through conditions not known by others — suffocating heat, monsoon seasons and an enemy that came out of nowhere and vanished just as quickly, Wallingford said. The veterans came home and began their lives, becoming teachers, nurses, policemen, the individuals who counted on every day, he said. Others became entrepreneurs, running companies and pioneering industries that changed the world. Some became leaders and public servants. “Those who stayed in the uniform rose up through the ranks, like Colin Powell and Stormin’ Norman Schwarzkopf,” Wallingford said. Vietnam veterans did their job with honor and returned home to help build America, he said. “We’ve earned our place among the greatest generation,” Wallingford said. When America sends its sons and daughters into harm’s way the resolve must be that they have a clear mission, a sound strategy, and the required equipment to get the job done and a plan to get the troops home, he said. “Let us never use patriotism as a political sword,” Wallingford said. “Patriots can support a war and patriots can debate and disagree about a war. Let us all stand united in our support of our military.” Back to Top 51 - WHAG (NBC-4, Video): Vietnam veterans honored at VA Medical Center (29 March, Kyle Boulier, 118k online visitors/mo; Hagerstown, MD) Vietnam veterans were recognized at a special 50th anniversary ceremony at the VA Medical Center in Martinsburg on Tuesday. The ceremony recognized the sacrifices the men made while serving in the war.


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"That sacrifice, that commitment is no different than any other service, and we want to make sure that they know that we welcome them home," said Timothy Cooke, the director of the medical center. While they were gathered at the medical center, veterans talked about how poorly they were treated when they came home. However, places like the medical center are working hard to try and change that stigma. "My brother Vietnam veterans, you don't have anything to be ashamed of,” said Vietnam veteran, Bob Hartman. “Whether you served state-side, Germany or you served in-country, you served." The veterans said these ceremonies are helping them get the recognition they deserve. "For those veterans that participated today, I walked around and talked to several of them and they were really gratified by the services that we were able to provide, but not only that, just a gesture of being able to reach out and say 'thank you,'" Hartman said. One of the biggest concerns for Vietnam veterans are the effects of Agent Orange, which can cause several types of cancer, among other diseases. Back to Top 52 - The Southern Illinoisan: 'Time to forgive': Marion VA honors Vietnam veterans (29 March, Nick Mariano, 115k online visitors/mo; Carbondale, IL) Fifty years after the start of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and the rise of the antiwar movement that in part made the return home for soldiers less than welcoming, it is time to move on, said Chuck Schryer. “We both need to forget and forgive, the veterans and the people,” Schryer said. “There were a lot of harsh feelings when the Vietnam vet came home. He didn’t help the situation. We were called the bad boys, and we were the bad boys. “It’s time to forgive.” Schryer, of Flora, served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970. He made his remarks at a Marion VA Medical Center event to honor veterans of the tumultuous era. The Medical Center was recently selected by the Department of Defense as a partner in commemorating the war to recognize its veterans on Tuesday, VA Medical Center spokeswoman Beth Lamb said as she and volunteers greeted their guests. Vernell Holderfield, the terminally ill patient at Marion Veterans Affairs Medical Center wh… The Defense Department’s Vietnam War Commemoration was set by a presidential proclamation on May 28, 2012, establishing a 13-year program to remember the veterans.


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“While no words will ever be fully worthy of their service, nor any honor truly befitting their sacrifice, let us remember that it is never too late to pay tribute to the men and women who answered the call of duty with courage and valor,” President Barack Obama wrote at the time. The open house celebration goes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will be capped off with an SIU Baseball Military Appreciation Night during their 5 p.m. home game against Austin Peay. According to VA information, there are more than 7 million living Vietnam veterans and 9 million families of those who served. Veterans and the public were invited to attend what Lamb of the Marion VA referred to as “a long overdue thank you.” She also expressed gratitude to veterans at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale for their support. Also expressing their gratitude were school children across the region, said Samuel Hoekstra, a VA peer support specialist and a U.S. Army veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also works with SIU’s program for Veteran Integration to Academic Leadership. He was encouraging veterans to take a stack of the thank you letters because of the overwhelming response by students. Vietnam: 40 years later “They’re priceless,” Hoekstra said. “It is always good to see what the kids come up with. It’s very heartwarming.” Schryer also gave his thanks to the Marion VA, but he has been doing that for 10 years. In May, he will be recognized by the Illinois chapter of the Daugthers of the American Revolution for his volunteer service to the Medical Center, donating 150,000 hours of his time, the most at the VA. Among his service, Schryer drives veterans across the region to and from the VA for the Disabled American Veterans charity, logging 250,000 miles. He put in a plug for the DAV, saying more drivers are needed. For more information, visit https://www.dav.org/. “The VA in Marion is probably one of the best there is,” he said. Back to Top 53 - WLOS (ABC-13, Video): 50th Anniversary ceremony: Vietnam veterans to be honored (29 March, Kristy Steward, 109k online visitors/mo; Ashville, NC) A ceremony Tuesday in Asheville will honor local Vietnam veterans on the 50th anniversary of the war. Congressman Mark Meadows and the director of Asheville's VA Medical Center are expected to speak, along retired superintendent of Buncombe County Schools, Clifton Dodson. Dodson is a Vietnam veteran himself. The Vietnam veterans were never welcomed home and honored, like previous wars.


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Tuesday's event allows the VA and the community an opportunity to thank and honor the Vietnam veterans for their service. Vietnam-era veterans who served between 1955 and 1975, will be recognized. That includes personnel who were held as prisoners of war or listed as missing in action, as well as those who served outside of the immediate war theater. The event is being held from 11 a.m. until Noon, in the lower level atrium of the VA Medical Center. Back to Top 54 - WLOS (ABC-13, Video): Thankless service: Vietnam Vets recognized during observance of 50th anniversary (29 March, John Le, 109k online visitors/mo; Asheville, NC) A ceremony at the George VA Medical Center to observe the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War provided a sense of healing for some who served. Many say it took far too long for America to get to this point. "And they'll say, 'Thank you, sir, for your service,'" Tony Hensley of Fletcher said of the gratitude he often sees from the public. We can't thank them enough today. For decades, however, many didn't thank them at all. Hensley is among the 7.2 million living Vietnam Vets. Like so many others, he got the opposite of a hero's welcome. "I had a couple of buddies pick me up from the airport," he recalled. "I said I just got back from Vietnam and they said, 'Oh really, so what?'" Many hope the anniversary milestone is an overdue opportunity. After a half century, Congressman Mark Meadows said it's about time. "For far too long, we were silent," Meadows said. "For far too long, we didn't say 'Welcome home.'" "When we came back, were were still pretty young," said guest speaker Clif Dodson, who served in Vietnam. "But we had aged a lot." Dodson said by reaching out to those who served in the time period between 1955 and 1975, we can help keep painful history from repeating. "I think what most Vietnam veterans want to do now is to make sure this does not happen to the young people who serve all over the world," he told News 13. It's a far cry from 50 years ago, when Hensley's own friends didn't give him a pat on the back.


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"I'm over here fighting for you, and seems like you could care less," he said then. The man, once scorned, is among those who finally got their due. "It's really nice that they would think about us, because back then we weren't thought of too much," Hensley said. "I'm more welcome than I was when I came back in 1966." The ceremony also recognized the families of those who served. It also payed homage to more than 1400 soldiers who served in Vietnam who are unaccounted for. Back to Top 55 - The Batavian: Batavia VA Center, 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Vietnam War event today at 2 at Batavia VA center (29 March, Billie Owens, 98k online visitors/mo; Batavia, NY) The guest speaker will be Mr. Vincent Schollard, who served two tours of duty in Vietnam (1966-68) as a Navy Corpsman. Vietnam Veterans and their families are encouraged to attend to share camaraderie. Refreshments will be served afterward. VA Western New York Healthcare System is a Federal commemorative partner for The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. One of the main objectives of these events is to give a long overdue thanks to honor Vietnam Veterans and their families, including personnel who were held prisoners of war or listed as missing in action. The Commemoration will pay tribute to their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States. Additionally, it will mark advances in technology, science and medicine related to the military research conducted during the Vietnam War. Lastly, the often overlooked contributions and sacrifices made by our allies will be recognized. To fulfill President’s Lincoln’s mission to our Veterans and their families "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan,” after each commemoration several VA representatives will be on hand and ready to provide information and answers to questions about VA health care enrollment and other Veterans benefits to include disability claims, employment and educational opportunities, and National Cemetery internment. Many Veterans are still unaware of VA benefits they have earned or may be in need of updated information to qualify and use these benefits. Here's the lineup of the event in Batavia: Invocation -- Father Ivan Trujillo, VA Western NY Healtchcare System Presentation of Colors -- Joint Veterans Honor Guard of Genesee County "Star-spangled Banner" -- St. Joe's Brass Ensemble of Batavia Pledge of Allegiance Welcome -- Brian Stiller, Medical Director, VA Western NY Healtchcare System


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Keynote Address -- Vincent Schollard, former Navy Corpsman Musical Tribute -- St. Joe's Brass Ensemble of Batavia Vietnam Veterans Pin Presentation Echo Taps -- Frank Panepento & Tom Cecere Benediction -- Father Ivan Trujillo Back to Top 56 - KFDA (CBS-10, Video): VA Emergency Department ribbon cutting and Vietnam War commemoration (29 March, Angelica Brown, 87k online visitors/mo; Amarillo, TX) The Amarillo VA Health Care System will cut the ribbon for the new Emergency Department Tuesday, March 29th at the Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center at 11:00 am with an open house until 1:00 pm. The new facility includes an ambulance entrance, two quiet rooms, three trauma rooms and three exam rooms. Space at the event will be limited. Guest speakers include Amarillo Mayor Paul Harpole and Texas State Council on Vietnam Veterans member Luther “Buster” Newberry, as well as support from the Amarillo Vet Center. The hospital is seeing an increase in health care needs for older veterans and they believe their needs to be a response. This new ER is a step in the right direction for the care of our veterans around the panhandle. The hospital is continuing to work for the future, the plan is for the new ER to keep expanding their ability to work on trauma patients as well as medical emergencies. The VA is working to advance their technology in hopes of providing better care to our veterans for years to come. Vietnam veteran Charles Morris says, "Knowing that they have the ability to meet future needs. How about my Grandson or Granddaughter or future generations who are serving this country, we have an obligation to take care of them we owe them a valuable debt of appreciation and and the least we can do is provide the best care we can". The event will also serve to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. According to www.vietnamwar50th.com, “the average U.S. infantryman in Vietnam saw 240 days of combat in one year.” 58,253 U.S. Armed Forces members were killed while 153,363 were wounded in the two decades of involvement in Vietnam. The sacrifice and service of Vietnam Veterans will be honored during the ribbon cutting. Back to Top 57 - WCJB (ABC-20, Video): Vietnam veterans swap stories at 50 year anniversary event (29 March, 84k online visitors/mo; Gainesville, FL)


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"I thought if I went, a guy wouldn't. I was very naive," says Ellen Mueller of her decision to join the Women's Army Corp in 1972. A 17 year old Mueller had to convince her parents to sign for her so she could join the Army after high school graduation. "Guys that I knew from the 11th and 12th grade had been drafted, and I saw the war on TV and I thought maybe I could help," recalls Mueller. At that time, the Army only asked for a two year commitment from women, but Mueller's friends thought it was two years too long. "My friends thought I was absolutely crazy. All the guys I went to school with were trying to avoid it and they just could not understand why I would do that," says Mueller. The Lakeland native went to basic training in Alabama, medic training in Texas then nursing-specific training in Georgia before ultimately being sent to Hawaii. "I thought I was going to Vietnam. And I felt really embarrassed about that for years, but while in Hawaii, I got to work with the veterans coming back from Vietnam," explains Mueller. Mueller was a nurse and assigned to psychology part of the time. She decided the best thing she could do for the veterans was listen to their stories. "It was life-changing. I was the same age they were and they had seen atrocities and described those to me that stayed with me forever. It really changed me as a person," recalls Mueller. While Mueller thought she was doing something honorable by joining the Army, she, like many other Vietnam veterans, wasn't prepared for the homecoming she would receive. "It was just very traumatic coming home to what we came home to...and it went on for years. It wasn't just a short peroid of time. It went on the whole time the war was going on and even longer," explains Michael Gaither who served as a military policeman in the Army in Vietnam. "We were told not to wear our uniforms on the airplanes and not to identify yourself as a soldier at any time or having served in the military," Mueller states. The Vietnam War is considered one of the most unpopular wars in American history. Mueller didn't tell anyone about her serice until 13 years ago when she joined the Malcom Randall VA in the physical medicine and rehabilitation department. "I think it's the full circle as I started 43 years ago with Vietnam vets and now I'm working with veterans coming back from Iraq and the Middle East," says Mueller. There will be another event like this tomorrow at the Lake City VA Medical Center. Back to Top 58 - KPNX (NBC-12): Events around the country held to honor Vietnam vets (29 March, 74k online visitors/mo; Phoenix, AZ)


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Hundreds of events were held across the U.S. on Tuesday to commemorate Vietnam Veterans Day, an unofficial observance that marks the final withdrawal of combat units and support personnel from South Vietnam in 1973. Part of an ongoing effort to honor U.S. troops who served during the Vietnam War era, the events — from a wreath laying by Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., to photo exhibits and memorials at VA centers and cemeteries — are meant to recognize those “who have ‘borne the battle,’ ” McDonald said. “When Vietnam veterans came home 50 years ago they didn’t get the kind of welcome that veterans get today," McDonald said. "What Ash and I tried to do today was to welcome home all those veterans and make sure that they felt the thanks and appreciation that veterans today feel." The Defense Department is overseeing a 13-year commemoration to recognize those who served on active duty from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, many of whom returned home from the unpopular war without fanfare or appreciation. Since 2011, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., has tried to designate March 29 officially as Vietnam Veterans Day, but his proposed legislation has failed to gain steam in Congress. In 2012, President Obama issued a proclamation formally observing the day in response to a request from Burr and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. “Our veterans answered our country's call and served with honor. ... Yet, in one of the war's most profound tragedies, many of these men and women came home to be shunned or neglected — to face treatment unbefitting their courage and a welcome unworthy of their example. We must never let this happen again,” Obama wrote in 2012. The Vietnam War Commemoration will run through Veterans Day 2025, and more than 5,300 activities have been planned to date. A full listing of events, as well as an interactive historical timeline of the Vietnam War, fact sheets, map and more, can be found at the Defense Department’s Vietnam War Commemoration website. According to the VA, more than 329 medical centers, regional benefit offices and national cemeteries planned to participate in events Tuesday. "Our nation is currently commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, a long overdue opportunity to honor the 7.2 million living Vietnam veterans and the 9 million families of those of us who served. ... Thank a Vietnam veteran and welcome them home,” McDonald said. Back to Top 59 - Clayton News Daily: Vietnam Veterans Day celebrated in Jonesboro (29 March, Joe Adgie, 67k online visitors/mo; Jonesboro, GA)


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Local veterans commemorated Vietnam Veterans Day by raising the American flag over the Jonesboro City Hall Tuesday morning. March 29 was the anniversary of the departure of the last U.S. ground troops from the Vietnam conflict. “I want to thank Mayor Joy Day for graciously allowing us to honor this special day, and I want to thank you veterans that are here today for your service to our nation and for doing your part to keep our country free and independent,” said Marcia Vincent of the Augustin Clayton Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The event was special for the veterans who participated. “It’s just something that I like to participate in, because I was a Vietnam veteran, I served two one-year combat terms as an infantryman in Vietnam, and I thought I should attend something,” said Jim Carberry, who also planned to attend another event in Henry County that morning. March 29 was marked as Vietnam Veterans Day by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Celebrations occured throughout the day to honor veterans of the conflict. Back to Top 60 - The Herald-Mail: Martinsburg VA Medical Center welcomes Vietnam vets home (29 March, 54k online visitors/mo; Hagerstown, MD) They were in their mid-60s to mid-70s, a quiet bunch of veterans whose war ended a half-century ago, gathered together Tuesday in a small cafeteria at the Martinsburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center to hear a belated "welcome home." It was a long-overdue greeting for veterans who came home from Vietnam and often were greeted with jeers and insults by fellow Americans opposed to the war who didn't believe their sacrifices mattered. "That's why this needed to take place at this time," Tim Cooke, director of the medical center told the assembled vets. "I appreciate your honor, courage and perseverance. It took a lot for you to be here today. I thank you for your service and give you, at long last, a welcome home." Cooke said the VA began officially recognizing the service of Vietnam veterans last year. "In this 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, the Department of Veterans Affairs has partnered with the Department of Defense to recognize and thank Vietnam veterans for their services and sacrifices," a news release announcing the event said. Cooke spent several hours in the cafe mingling, greeting and shaking hands with veterans. He presented each with a special VA medal honoring those who served in the war or were Vietnam-era veterans. Reece Varney, 68, of Cowan in Webster County, W.Va., was there. The U.S, Navy vet said his great-great grandmother was a sister of Devil Anse Hatfield of the Hatfield-McCoy feud.


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"This is the first time I ever came to a VA hospital, "he said. "I'm here for the PTSD. I was an electrician on a swift boat." John McClurg, 73, of Martinsburg was a skipper on a PBR or patrol boat river. "We were the brown-water navy," McClurg said. He said the Navy had 200 PBRs patrolling the canals and rivers in Vietnam, about half of which were lost in combat. "We had an 85 percent casualty rate," he said. McClurg retired as a captain after 26 years. Merrill Hausenfluck, 72, a Marine, and his Army brother, Maxwell Hausenfluck, 63, both of Stephens City, Va., served in Vietnam at the same time. "They would have let one of us go home, but we both stayed," Maxwell said. Sitting next to the brothers was Marshall Carper, 70, an Army combat vet whose served in 1966-1967. "I grew up with those brothers in Stephens City," Carper said. "I saw them three or four times in Vietnam." Donald Douglas, 71, of Shepherdstown, W.Va., served three tours in Vietnam. "I extended on my own, " he said. He stayed in the Marines for 38 years. Aaron Dunhamm, 69, of Martinsburg was an Army combat engineer in 1967 and 1968. He remembers the Tet Offensive in 1968. "Tet was hell," he said. "They hit us hard. They kept coming over the wire and inside the compound. We had to be careful who we shot to avoid friendly fire." Gary Lee, 69, of Williamsport was a soldier in 1967 and 1968. He praised the medical care in the center after operations for bladder cancer resulting from exposure to Agent Orange and open-heart surgery. "Sometimes I had three and four appointments a day, and I never had to wait long to see the doctor. I can't say enough about the VA," he said. Robert Harman, a member of the Maryland Veterans Commission, said the Martinsburg Center serves about 12,000 Western Maryland veterans from Frederick, Washington, Allegany and Garrett counties. Back to Top


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61 - Leavenworth Times: Vietnam veterans honored during ceremony (29 March, John Richmeier, 51k online visitors/mo; Leavenworth, KS) Recognition offered Tuesday to Vietnam veterans has been a longtime coming, the director of local national cemeteries said. Kevin Johnson, director of the Leavenworth National Cemetery Complex, was the keynote speaker during a commemoration ceremony of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The ceremony, which was attended by a number of Vietnam veterans, took place at the Leavenworth National Cemetery. "I wanted to be the keynote speaker because I'm the product of Vietnam veterans," he said. Johnson said his father served in Vietnam with the Army. "My father did not get his welcome home," Johnson said. He said thousands of others also were not welcomed home after their service in Vietnam. With the country in turmoil, Vietnam veterans were encouraged to return home in civilian clothes rather than their uniforms, he said. Johnson said his mother served in the Air Force during the war but she was not deployed. He said the Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes any American who served in the military during the era of the Vietnam War to be a Vietnam veteran. "The people back home, they had their mission," he said. More than 58,000 Americans were killed in the Vietnam War. "Many tens of thousands were disabled," Johnson said. Johnson said Vietnam veterans have taught future generations how to serve and fight honorably. "I can't thank you enough for the sacrifices you all made for us," he said. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Vietnam veterans in attendance were presented lapel pins. Johnson said the official 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War began in 2012 and will continue through 2025. He said the Leavenworth National Cemetery Complex will host two events each year to mark the commemoration. In Leavenworth, Tuesday was designated by proclamation as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. Mayor Larry Dedeke read the proclamation during a March 22 meeting of the Leavenworth City Commission.


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Back to Top 62- WTVQ (ABC-36): Dept. of Veterans Affairs Honors Vietnam Vets at Camp Nelson (29 March, 50k online visitors/mo; Lexington, KY) NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ) – On Tuesday, central Kentucky commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam war today at Camp Nelson National Cemetery in Jessamine Co. The Department of Veterans Affairs honored the service and sacrifice of Vietnam veterans, many of whom didn’t come home from war to a heroes welcome decades ago. Today, veterans across central Kentucky were honored with a presidential proclamation. Each Vietnam veteran there was given a lapel pin, specifically designed for the living veterans of their war. On the back, an inscription reads, “A grateful nation thanks and honors you.” Organizers say giving the pins to veterans who served our country is emotional. Veterans who did not make it home were also recognized. The national society Daughters of the American Revolution, and other commemorative partners took names of living veterans, so they can hold ceremonies in the counties where they live. Organizers say they will continue this annual event until 20-25. Back to Top 63 - WVUA (TV-23): Tuscaloosa VA Honors Vietnam Veterans (29 March, Katherine Robinson, 48k online visitors/mo; Tuscaloosa, AL) Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center hosted a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War this morning. All local Vietnam veterans were invited to attend. The event included remarks from several Vietnam veterans, musical selections and other tributes from local representatives of veterans service organizations. “In this 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, the Department of Veterans Affairs has partnered with the Department of Defense to recognize and thank Vietnam veterans for their service and sacrifices to our nation,” said Tuscaloosa VA Spokesperson, Damon Stevenson. “VA medical facilities across the country will host events to thank and honor our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.” Nine million Americans served during the Vietnam War period. As of Sept. 30, 2015, there were 7.103 million Vietnam era Veterans living. VA projects that by Sept. 30, the number will fall to 6.953 million. The Commemoration recognizes all who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, regardless of duty location.


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Each Vietnam War veteran received a Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin during a pinning at the ceremony. Back to Top 64 - KAMR (NBC-4, Video): Amarillo VA Opens New ER (29 March, Natasha Lackey, 34k online visitors/mo; Amarillo, TX) Providing better healthcare while honoring our veterans; that was the focus today at the Thomas E. Creek Hospital. To help commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, several Hometown Heroes were honored today by the VA. The Amarillo VA also held a ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil their new Emergency Room. Amarillo mayor, Paul Harpole, spoke on how the new facility will better serve our veterans. The new facility includes quiet rooms, three trauma rooms, and three exam rooms. Back to Top 65 - WGFL (CBS-28, Video): Gainesville VA Host Vietnam War Commemoration (29 March, Alicia Tarancon, 33k online visitors/mo; Gainesville, FL) The VA held a special event to honor the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. "It's just I'm overwhelmed, I'm just excited about being here to just rub shoulders again with some old Vietnam Veterans, I mean it's priceless and I appreciate the people who put this together, because they really do have insight foresight and good sight," says Army Vietnam Veteran Harold Williams. The Malcom Randall VA and Vietnam Veterans of America hosted a commemoration to honor those who served in the Vietnam War. And during the ceremony a few veterans came to the podium to share their own personal story on the Vietnam war. Forest Hope with the Vietnam Veterans of America says he remembers how it was when he returned home. "We had human waste, dog waste, feces thrown at us at airports, we had an older woman spit on me and we were called baby killer and monsters and just all sorts of names," says Hope. And when he heard about today's event he knew he had to come down.


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"To see the faces and again to remember the faces that aren't with us, we accept the celebration, the thank you's, the welcome homes', but they also pass through our hearts, to those who don't have their loved one at their side right now," says Boyer. "What should the public know if they see a veteran on the street?" "They should thank a veteran because veterans are the ones that lets them walk the streets in peace and be able to have their opinions and have their thoughts and have their freedom to vote and elect their people to offices," says Army Veteran Michael Gaither. The event also offered information on the homeless veteran program, mental health services, and other questions and concerns that veterans may have. Back to Top 66 - WBTA (AM-1490): VA Center in Batavia host to 50th anniversary commemoration of Vietnam War (29 March, 29k online visitors/mo; Batavia, NY) The commemoration is being held in honor of Vietnam Veterans and their families including those held as prisoners of war or listed missing in action. Guest Speaker Mr. Vincent Schollard served two tours of duty in Vietnam as a Navy Corpsman from 1966 to 1968. In a stirring speech he described what those who served in Vietnam had to come home to “There was a cardboard sign in the window of a house sometimes saying "Welcome home Vet John or Mike" and the other people were still outside the airports with their picket signs calling us baby killers, and what war criminals we were, and waiting with bags of dog crap, but we persevered and it's because of the Vietnam Veteran that the VA system got a better understanding of what PTSD really is...” Schollard went onto speak of the exclusive brotherhood that he joined called the Vietnam Vets and how they have persevered not only through the horrors of War but in making many improvements to the VA system. Schollard received a standing ovation as he choked up delivering the last words of his speech, “We are a strong group of men and women and I'm deeply proud to be a part of that, and I thank you for your service, welcome home my brothers.” St. Joe’s Brass Ensemble of Batavia played a service medley tribute as members of various military divisions arose for their tune to be honored. Frank Panepento and Tom Cecere led a haunting rendition of Silver Taps to close out the ceremony. VA representatives were on hand to field questions about the VA system and many of the opportunities that a number of Veteran’s are underutilizing or completely unaware of. Back to Top


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67 - WBUP (ABC-10, Video): 50th Commemoration of Vietnam War honors Veterans (29 March, Arah Mac, 27k online visitors/mo; Ishpeming, MI) Two organizations came together in honor of Upper Peninsula Veterans today. Our local veterans make up some of the more than nine million veterans who served during the Vietnam Era. ABC 10’s Sarah Mac was in Gladstone and Iron Mountain today and she brings us more from the ceremonies. It was an emotional day in Gladstone and Iron Mountain as veterans came together with their friends and family for the 50th Vietnam War Commemoration. Officials from the Veterans Center in Escanaba and the Oscar J. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain held ceremonies in their respective areas Tuesday morning to honor Vietnam combat veterans and Vietnam era veterans. The programs included speeches from veterans– some sharing memories from the past, others looking towards the future, each an emotional experience. Veteran Joe Stevens said to the crowd in Iron Mountain, “Brad asked me to speak, I absolutely said no. I wasn’t interested, didn’t want to, pretty emotional, I’ve done that before didn’t want to do it again. It’s not easy to talk about this, but I think there’s a message after 50 years we have where we’re honoring, and it says it the best right here, ‘a grateful nation thanks and honors you.'” In the midst of socializing in Gladstone, Mike King said, “Well today just look around the room. When you get this many Vietnam veterans and Vietnam era veterans it’s a pleasure. It’s fantastic.” Each event held a pin ceremony honoring vets for their service. King said at the end of the day he hoped young and old vets could connect, and be there for one another. Back to Top 68 - KGNC (Westwood One-97.9, Audio): VA Cuts Ribbon on New Emergency Department (29 March, Julie Thompson, 9k online visitors/mo; Amarillo, TX) It was with a little bit of luck that a new state-of-the-art emergency department at the Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center would be ready to open on the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam war. The Amarillo VA Healthcare System cut the ribbon for the new ER on Tuesday afternoon with a small ceremony including guest speakers Mayor Paul Harpole and Texas State Council on Vietnam Veterans member Luther “Buster” Newberry. “They’re both coming together at the same time, so why not take the spotlight of a brand new facility and join it with dedication and commemoration to our Vietnam era,” Director of Amarillo VA Healthcare System, Michael Kiefer said. “It warms our heart.” The new facility includes three trauma rooms, three exam rooms, two quiet rooms and an ambulance entrance. According to William Donaldson, a former employee of the Amarillo Vet


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Center, who were also on hand to show their support, addresses privacy complaints the hospital has received in the past. Back to Top 30 March 1 - Chicago Tribune: Lake County veterans remember return home from Vietnam War (30 March, Emily K. Coleman, 13.5M online visitors/mo; Chicago, IL) Army radio operator Allen J. Lynch carried three wounded soldiers to safety and single-handedly protected them from enemy attack in Vietnam. Lynch was awarded the Medal of Honor — the nation's highest military honor — for his actions on Dec. 15, 1967. But Lynch said the reception from the general public was not as warm. "We came home to a country that was embarrassed by us, where our peers who went to college were in the anti-war movement and didn't even want to deal with us, our fathers and our uncles just wanted us to go away," he said. "And we became strong. It used to be, 'I'm a victim of the Vietnam War.' Now we are veterans of the Vietnam War, and we are proud of our service." Lynch was a guest speaker Tuesday at a U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration event at the Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago.The commemoration is a multi-organization, multi-year series of events to honor Vietnam War veterans. In a statement announcing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' participation, VA Secretary Robert McDonald said, "Our nation's Vietnam War Commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor, and thank our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices during one of America's longest wars." Vietnam War veteran Bob Wilken said the recognition has not helped him forget the battles from nearly 50 years ago. Wilken, of Fox Lake, said he served in the Army's infantry division during some of the most deadly periods of the war. His company could hold as many as 190 soldiers at one time, and 78 were killed in 1968, he said. Wilken said the squad was attacked the day he was processed to leave Vietnam and a friend, who Wilken planned to visit in Kansas City, was killed in the attack. He says he still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. By the time the last U.S. troops returned home in 1973, more than three million Americans served in the war and more than 58,000 were killed, according to Veterans Affairs statistics. "(It helps to) just see other people that are going through it, the same struggles I've had and stuff, PTSD and stuff," Wilken said. "Our brothers are here. It's important to see that."


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Tuesday's event marked the 43rd anniversary of the day the last troops returned to the U.S. from Vietnam on March 29, 1973. McDonald designated March 29 as a day "for our department to express our tremendous gratitude and support to this generation of Americans through ceremonies across the nation," according to a news release from Lovell FHCC. Retired Army Maj. Gen. James Mukoyama said Tuesday was a "day for us to celebrate Vietnam veterans and the accomplishments of our generation." "This is not a woe-is-me day," Mukoyama told the audience at Lovell FHCC. "This is a day for us to celebrate the accomplishments and success of our generation, even though when we came back our reception was less than friendly, shall we say." Lynch added that being asked to speak at Tuesday's event was a "double-edged sword." The ceremony is both a reminder of all that Vietnam War veterans had accomplished and the hardships suffered during and after the war. Lynch highlighted advances in post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, benefits for veterans exposed to environmental hazards like Agent Orange, the ability to appeal decisions made by the Department of Veterans Affairs and memorials constructed in honor of those who served in the Vietnam War. Lovell FHCC integrates Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense health care services for veterans, military members and their families in northeast Illinois and southeast Wisconsin. "We are honored to participate in this historic commemoration for Vietnam veterans and show them our sincere gratitude for their service and sacrifices," Lovell FHCC Director Dr. Stephen Holt said in a news release. "We have more than 8,600 Vietnam veterans enrolled for care at Lovell FHCC, and we thank each and every one. We are privileged to serve them." Back to Top 2 - Omaha World-Herald: 'This really helps': More than 40 years after the war ended, Vietnam-era veterans are welcomed home (30 March, Steve Liewer, 2.4M online visitors/mo; Omaha, NE) The small peace offering helped — just a little — to soothe decades-old wounds for about 85 Vietnam-era veterans from Nebraska and western Iowa who gathered Tuesday at Bellevue University for an overdue homecoming celebration. “You were met with indifference at best and contempt at worst,” said John Hilgert, director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs. “I want to say thank you. And I want to say, ‘Welcome home.’ ” Rep. Brad Ashford, D-Neb., joined local officials of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in shaking hands and handing out lapel pins to the vets on what has been designated Vietnam


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Veterans Day. It falls on the anniversary of the day in 1973 that the last service members left South Vietnam. Two years later, the country fell to North Vietnamese troops. About 9 million Americans served in Vietnam, and 7.2 million of them are still living. Most are in their 60s and 70s. More than 58,000 died. Many Americans opposed U.S. participation in a war that came to be viewed as a quagmire. In some cases, antiwar demonstrators vented their anger at the troops who served there. “I remember times you couldn’t go off base,” said Steve Giles, 65, of Bellevue, whose 24-year Air Force career began in 1970, during the Vietnam War. At the time, a nation sharply divided over the merits of the war did little to welcome its veterans home. Ralph Sabatka of Wahoo recalls arriving at Eppley Airfield in 1971 after his two-year hitch in the Navy. “It was about 3 o’clock in the morning. My dad and my uncle met me. That was it,” said Sabatka, 66, who attended Tuesday’s celebration sponsored by the VA. “This really helps.” While arguments over the war continue half a century later, supporters and opponents are united in support of those who served in it, particularly after the dedication of the somber Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 1982. “America is contrite,” Hilgert said. “One only need to look at how vets are treated today to see that America has learned its lesson.” Dan Cady, 69, of Wahoo served in the Army from 1969-2005, a veteran of both Vietnam and the 1990-91 Gulf War. “I got quite a reception in ’91,” he said. “It kind of burned off some of the memories of coming home from Vietnam.” He brought his brother, Tim, of Omaha, who served two years in the Marines during Vietnam but until recently hadn’t attended veterans events. “I haven’t been involved, but I’m getting involved now,” Tim Cady said. “I’m here to see what other vets of my era have gone through.” Ashford said the best way to thank Vietnam veterans is to take care of them. He pointed to new plans to build a 150,000-square-foot outpatient, surgical and mental health clinic on the grounds of the existing VA medical center in Omaha, using a public-private partnership. No timetable is set yet. Tuesday, the coffee and cookies broke the ice. The thank-yous helped most of all. “We are doing what we should have done 50 years ago,” said Kerrie Witty, director of the Lincoln VA Regional Office. “Thank you for your service and sacrifice.” Back to Top


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3 - KFVS (CBS-12, Video): Paducah chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution hold Vietnam Commemoration ceremony (30 March, Joshua Murray, 481k online visitors/mo; Cape Girardeau, MO) PADUCAH, KY - The Paducah Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution held a "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Commemoration" ceremony at Dolly McNutt Memorial Plaza in Paducah, Kentucky on Tuesday, March 29. Speakers at the event included Cheryl Bendick with the DAR, Judge Executive Bob Leeper, Mayor Gayle Kaler and Vietnam veteran Michael Swinford. City Commissioner Richard Abraham was also there and sang the "Star Spangled Banner" and "America the Beautiful". The event was part of the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War. Yellow ribbons were placed around the trees at the McCracken County Courthouse and the 50th Anniversary Commemoration Flag was on display, along with other various items. Bendick said that Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert A. McDonald asked the nearly 9,000 commemorative partner members around the world to hold an event on March 29, the day the last boots were on the ground in Vietnam. The Commemoration is a three year program designed to reach out to every Vietnam-era veteran and/or their families to offer thanks. The Commemoration program began in 2015 and will end December 31, 2017. Back to Top 4 - WFED (AM-1500): Veterans mark 50th anniversary of Vietnam War (30 March, Michael O’Connell, 441k online visitors/mo; Washington, DC) Veterans gathered at VA facilities around the country, as well as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments joined together Tuesday to honor the nearly 9 million Americans who serviced in the Armed Forces from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, as part of the Vietnam War Commemoration. The event marked the 50th anniversary of the war. “This Commemoration has special significance for those of us at VA because of our honored mission to serve those who have ‘borne the battle,'” said VA Secretary Robert McDonald, during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Veteran Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. “It’s also an opportunity to remember our VA colleagues who served in this generation of Veterans, to extend our heartfelt appreciation to them and to their families who shared the burden of their loved one’s service.” McDonald was joined at “The Wall” by Defense Secretary Ash Carter.


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On Tuesday, more than 329 VA medical centers, national cemeteries and regional benefit offices hosted events as part of the Commemoration. Back to Top 5 - WHIO (CBS-7): The Dayton VA Medical Center to honor Vietnam Veterans today (30 March, 273k online visitors/mo; Dayton, OH) The Dayton VA Medical Center will host a Vietnam War 50th Commemoration & Pinning Ceremony at 10 a.m. today. The event will be held at the Protestant Chapel on the Dayton VA campus. The Dayton VA invites all Vietnam Veterans, their family members and the general public to attend the ceremony. Vietnam Veterans will receive a special lapel pin commemorating their courage, honor and dedicated service to our nation. The pins will be presented by Vietnam Veterans, retired military officers, a former Prisoner of War, and the daughter and wife of soldiers who lost their lives in Vietnam to recognize and honor those who never came home, and the sacrifice of their family members. The guest speaker will be Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier, who was shot down on his 80th mission over North Vietnam and held as a Prisoner of War for nearly six years. Following his release, Mechenbier was assigned to the Fighter Branch, 4950th Test Wing, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Dayton VA National Cemetery and the Miami Valley Military History Museum, located on the Dayton VA campus. Back to Top 6 - WKBT (CBS-8): Tomah VA holds grand opening for new building, Recreation Therapy Building now open (30 March, 234k online visitors/mo; La Crosse, WI) The Tomah VA Medical Center held a ceremony for the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War in a new recreation therapy building, which also held it's grand opening on Tuesday. The Tomah VA's public affairs officer says the timing for the ceremony and the grand opening to happen on the same day was "serendipitous". "We knew the building was coming open and we knew that it might be pushing timelines a little bit but our construction partners and everyone, as we started asking the question - Can we have it here? - and about a month or so ago, they gave us the big thumbs up and said yes you can absolutely do it in that building," said public affairs officer Matthew Gowan.


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The building was under construction for nearly two years. It's a recreation therapy building, and will offer veterans a different way to go through therapy, using music or arts and crafts. The Medical Center's project supervisor says new facilities like this help build on the VA's rich history. "There's a lot of legacy here at the Tomah VA Medical Center and at this point and time, building these new buildings, we look at that legacy even farther in the future providing more services for veterans, for those that served the country," said project supervisor Marvin Schaeitel. The Tomah VA is also working on what's called a 75-bed facility. It's used for rehabilitation purposes. The hope is for that building to open later this year. Back to Top 7 - Daily Messenger: Canandaigua area Vietnam War veterans thanked for service, The Canandaigua VA Medical Center was among many throughout the nation that hosted commemoration ceremonies for those who served during the Vietnam War years (30 March, Mike Murphy, 226k online visitors/mo; Canandaigua, NY) Lee Rush of Shortsville served in Vietnam with the U.S. Navy in 1965. But for many years veterans like him didn’t talk much about their military duty, except among themselves. But his efforts — and those of many others who served during three decades of Vietnam War years — were commemorated at a ceremony Tuesday at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center. “It’s nice to be remembered in a positive way,” Rush said. And there is a reason why many didn’t speak of their Vietnam War service. Retired Army Reserve Maj. Gen. Norbert Rappl, who was the guest speaker at the ceremony, remembers when he was asked to speak to the ROTC cadets at Rochester Institute of Technology and was told a place to change into his uniform would be made available to him. Rappl said that wouldn’t be necessary, he would come in uniform. He was told it would be better if he did not. He was told wearing his uniform would create a disturbance. “Can you imagine?” said Rappl, of Irondequoit. “An American uniform causing a disturbance on an American campus? But that was the mood of the people at the time.” Rappl, who served two years of active duty in the Korean War before joining the Reserves and serving in various command and staff duties for 34 years, said there were many facets to the war, from the early days of U.S. advisement in the region to active military campaigns.


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“Even now historians cannot agree when war, as we know it, started,” Rappl said. But what he does know — and several veterans in the room agreed — is that soldiers were not afforded the respect and support they deserved by the American people, Rappl said. Soldiers were spat upon, called baby killers or ignored, Rappl said. “The shame of that has finally been recognized and today we greet our returning soldiers with a welcome and the respect they deserve — led by Vietnam veterans,” Rappl said. “This is what the commemoration is about.” Events throughout the country also were scheduled Tuesday to recognize veterans who served on active duty, from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, as part of a multi-year 50th anniversary that began in 2012. The ceremony locally made no distinction among veterans who saw duty in Vietnam, in theater, or were active elsewhere. All served. In addition to Rappl’s talk, interim Canandaigua VA Medical Center Director Michael Swartz presented the Vietnam veterans in attendance with pins. Bill Morgan of Manchester served in Vietnam with the Navy in 1965 and 1966. A ceremony like this is a good thing, he said. “It’s nice they’re recognizing Vietnam veterans for what they did,” Morgan said. And Rappl believes their heroic and courageous efforts in Vietnam deserve to be ranked with the great battles of Iwo Jima, Normandy and others in World War II. And a commemoration like this is an opportunity to say to the country's Vietnam War veterans what should have been said from the beginning, Rappl said. "You did your job. You served with honor. You made us proud. You came home and helped build America," Rappl said. "You have earned your place among the greatest generation." Back to Top 8 - Livingston Daily Press & Argus: Vietnam vets honored, 50 years later (30 March, Wayne Peal, 218k online visitors/mo; Howell, MI) Though a half-century overdue, the honors were still welcome. "It's nice to get recognition like this, after all these years," said Art Six, of Pinckney, who was one of more than 175 Vietnam War veterans honored Tuesday during ceremonies in Genoa Township.


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During the ceremony, veterans from all branches of service receive congressionally authorized lapel pins commemorating the 50th anniversary of U.S. involvement in the Southeast Asia conflict. Fellow veteran Richard Steffens said Tuesday's ceremonies were one of only two Vietnam-related events he's attended since leaving military service decades ago. "I did go the the dedication of the (Vietnam) wall and, like that, this is a coming-home ceremony," the Pinckney resident said. "It's recognition we always wanted but weren't sure we'd ever get." The longest, and most controversial, war in U.S. history, American military involvement in Vietnam stretched for nearly 20 years, including roughly eight years of combat. Tuesday's ceremony came 43 years to the day that the last U.S. combat troops left South Vietnam. U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, said he was moved as he looked out over the crowd of 400 — including veterans, their spouses children and grandchildren — gathered at Crystal Gardens banquet center. "This is the proudest moment I've had (as a congressman)," he said. The event was open to veterans living in the 8th Congressional District, which stretches from northern Oakland County to the Lansing area. Bishop, who faces a re-election challenge from Democrat Melissa Gilbert, told veterans he would continue to look out for their interests, especially when it comes to improving services at Veterans Administration hospitals. "You want answers, you want action" Bishop said. "I've heard the call." Lon Braun, of South Lyon, said Bishop and all members of Congress could help by making VA services available through other hospitals. "There are so many people coming back (from service in the Middle East) that's it's getting crowded," he said. Unlike veterans of other U.S. wars, Vietnam veterans often faced reactions ranging from indifference to open hostility upon their return, owing to the war's unpopularity among the general public. "We didn't necessarily get the kind of reception we would have liked," said state Rep. Hank Vaupel, R-Handy Township, a Vietnam-era veteran who served as master of ceremonies during Tuesday's event. In time, public sentiment has become more sympathetic to the veterans, honoring sacrifices they made during a difficult time in U.S. history. The circular lapel pin includes a bald eagle head set against a field of six stars representing United States and the five nations which sent troops: Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand.


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Congress authorized the pins last year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first landing of U.S. combat troops in Vietnam, though American military advisers had been present since the 1950s. There are roughly 250,000 Vietnam War veterans in Michigan according to estimates drawn from a 2014 Washington Post survey on veterans throughout the nation. Thus far, more than 600 have received the pins, said Craig Stigleman of U.S. Rep. David Trott's office, which organized the the state's first pin ceremony. Those receiving pins had to register in advance. A limited number of pins remain. Those seeking additional information on the pins can visit Bishop's website at https://mikebishop.house.gov or call his district office at 810-227-8600. Back to Top 9 - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Vietnam War vets mark 50 years, ‘Thanks for your service,’ welcomes 100 to NLR center (30 March, Hunter Field, 164k online visitors/mo; Little Rock, AR) A man in thin-framed glasses walked gingerly to his seat on the end of an empty row, positioning the stage on the side of his good ear. Ken Matthews doesn't normally attend events like Tuesday's ceremony at the Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center in North Little Rock commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The bulky brace and artificial knee hiding under his blue jeans make it a struggle, but that's not the real burden holding him back. "Memories," the 68-year-old Vietnam veteran said. "Just things you want to try and forget." About 100 veterans attended the event, which was coordinated by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 184, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, the VA Regional office in Little Rock and the Veterans Center North Little Rock. Surrounded by flags of each branch of the military and the many veterans organizations, the men shook hands, swapped stories and paid tribute to those who never returned to American soil. One table near the entrance drew long, hard gazes from the men as they passed. No one sat at the table, which was draped in a white cloth; it was reserved for those killed in action. Workers and guests greeted the veterans warmly as they entered, thanking them for their service -- a stark contrast to the treatment many received at their homecoming from Vietnam some 50 years ago. It was Labor Day, 1968 when James Mash, 68, of Beebe caught his "freedom bird" home from the war. He landed in San Fransisco at 5 a.m. after three sleepless days. A large crowd awaited him at the terminal. They weren't there to thank him. They were there to spit on him.


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"I can't forgive those people," Mash, who volunteered to join the Army at 17, said. "I should be able to. They teach you to forgive at church. I shouldn't be this hard, but it's not going to happen." Mark Morgan, interim medical center director at Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, offered Mash and his fellow veterans some consolation Tuesday. "It may not have happened 50 years ago," he said while thanking the men for their service. "But it should have." There isn't any significance to March 29, said Kim Godeaux, spokesman for the VA Regional Office in Little Rock. Many agencies have simply accepted it as a day to celebrate Vietnam veterans. The war officially lasted from Aug. 4, 1964 to Jan. 27, 1973, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. In total, 68,963 Americans died, and 153,303 were wounded. As the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System employee choir sang a medley of armed forces anthems Tuesday, many of the veterans were as spry as the day they graduated from boot camp. Each man leaped from his seat when the choir began singing the song of the branch he served. Several former Marines shouted "Ooh Rah!" at the first note of "The Halls of Montezuma." Matthews, the veteran with the artificial knee, wasn't as jubilant, but he tapped his foot along with "The Army Goes Rolling Along." After growing up in North Little Rock, Matthews volunteered for the Army straight out of high school. He served at a depot in Long Binh, Vietnam, where a piece of equipment severely injured his right leg. Some had it worse, he acknowledged, but he lost many good friends. Some memories still flashback. Something small like an odd noise while mowing the lawn may take his mind back to Long Binh. "You never forget," he said. Tuesday's commemoration came two weeks after the VA inspector general released a report confirming that employees at Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System manipulated patient wait times to make them appear shorter than they actually were. A year ago, a similar report found that the VA's Regional Benefit Office in Little Rock altered 48 overlooked disability claims to make them appear as if they had just been filed. Some of the claims were more than 2 years old. Gov. Asa Hutchinson alluded to those problems in a brief speech to the veterans. "Veterans deserve to have disability claims processed accurately and fairly," he said. After the governor's address, those who served in Vietnam were encouraged to go forward to receive pins to honor their service. Matthews remained in his seat, but a fellow veteran noticed him and brought him a pin. He tucked it inside his khaki jacket.


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"I'm pretty quiet about the war," Matthews said. As the rest crowded at the front for a group photo to end the ceremony, Matthews slipped out the back. He walked past a statue of a soldier with the inscription "Let's move on." But for Matthews and so many like him, that's impossible. Back to Top 10 - MetroNews: West Virginia says ‘thanks’ to Vietnam War veterans (30 March, Shauna Johnson, 147k online visitors/mo; Charleston, WV) “Thank you for your service” and “welcome home” were phrases heard often Wednesday at the State Capitol where the sun was shining during the 5th Annual West Virginia Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day. “Anybody we walk by, it’s ‘welcome home,’ (we shake) their hand, give them a hug and thank them for their service,” said David Simmons, president of the Vietnam Veterans of America West Virginia chapter. He served with the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971 and said, upon his return to the United States, such appreciation was rare. “It was right after Desert Storm, that’s when we started getting the recognition as Vietnam veterans,” Simmons said. “Before that, hardly any of us even told people we were veterans because it was a shameful thing back then.” More than 36,500 West Virginians served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam Era, according to information from the Vietnam Veterans of America. Official records show 732 of those West Virginia residents were killed during the Vietnam War, but those with the Vietnam Veterans of America in the Mountain State have indicated the actual death total is most likely 1,104 due to the number of state residents who moved elsewhere before serving, changing their home state of record. It was the highest soldier death rate during the Vietnam War, VVA officials said. “We want to remember those who lost their lives in Vietnam, that’s No. 1, and, No. 2, those who were wounded and also remember all of our friends that we served with and the contributions that Vietnam veterans made to this country, not only during the War, but since they’ve returned home,” said Cecil Roberts, president of the United Mine Works of America. Roberts, a Vietnam veteran, was the keynote speaker for Wednesday’s Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day. He served with the U.S. Army’s 167th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division based out of Chu Lai, Vietnam in 1967 and 1968. Simmons served with the same unit in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971. On behalf of his fellow veterans, he and others are pushing for the passage of the Toxic Exposure Research Act on Capitol Hill. With it, a VA medical clinic would be designated to serve


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as the national center for research on the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of the descendants of people possibly exposed to toxic substances, like Agent Orange, while serving in the Armed Forces. Richard Pack from Welch is a U.S. Army veteran who served from 1979 to 1983. Though he did not serve in Vietnam, he was out in Charleston Wednesday to be part of the day dedicated to those who did. “Especially with Vietnam era vets, so many of them were overlooked when they came back. They put up with a lot of stuff that they shouldn’t have put up with,” Pack told MetroNews. “There’s a lot of men and women who sacrificed an awful lot for this country that we take for granted, so anything, I feel, that we can do to show our support and our thanks, I think we need to.” Fifty years later, “People recognize the courage and the valor and the contributions the Vietnam veterans made to this country,” Robert said. Back to Top 11 - Rapid City Journal: Veterans remember Vietnam War (30 March, Mike Anderson, 129k online visitors/mo; Rapid City, SD) When it started Tuesday morning, the singing was a barely audible murmur beneath the brassy instrumentals of the Star Spangled Banner ringing through the speakers of the shelter house at the Black Hills National Cemetery. With arms cocked in salute, the 100 or so veterans of the Vietnam War gathered to blend their voices to begin the commemoration of the war's 50th anniversary, a rolling anniversary that will continue each March until 2025, 50 years after the year the war ended. The voices spread like a slow wave from one end of the shelter to the next, the words growing louder, swelling on “... and the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air ... .” That was when Andrew No Heart, 68, of Rapid City, added his voice to the chorus. No Heart stood near the rear of the shelter with his friend Dennis Isaac Seely, 70, also of Rapid City, both veterans of the 101st Airborne Infantry Division in that most tragic war, both highly decorated with numerous medals attesting to their devotion. No Heart’s eyes flicked to the ceiling as he recalled a couple of his, a Bronze Star and a South Vietnamese Service Medal of Valor. “He was at Hamburger Hill,” Seely said, buddy-punching No Heart’s arm. No Heart, a combat medic, allowed a small nod. “He’s my medic,” Seely with a laugh. Tuesday was designated Vietnam Veterans Day. Because U.S. military personnel served in Vietnam until the war's end in 1975, the 50th anniversary ceremonies are scheduled to take place every year until 2025.


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Seely and No Heart didn’t actually serve together; they were stationed at different places at different times. But their shared experience of the war has drawn them together. Both were young men, in their early 20s when they landed in Vietnam. “I carried a flamethrower,” Seely said in a mater-of-fact tone. “West of Củ Chi.” Củ Chi is northwest of what was then Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City. Seely used his flamethrower to try flushing the enemy soldiers out of the extensive network of tunnels there, from which the Viet Cong commanders launched the Tet Offensive in late January of 1968. Seeley was there at the start of the Tet Offensive. No Heart wrung his hands as he thought about his year in the jungle, moving from one “hot landing zone” to the next, rappelling down from the bellies of transport helicopters under heavy enemy fire. “We went through all kinds of mayhem in Vietnam,” No Heart said. “It was like hell on Earth.” Seely and No Heart survived, but like many Vietnam veterans, survival came at a heavy price. When No Heart came back, the memories of the things he saw in the jungle stayed with him. “I spent 35 years drinking and feeling sorry for myself,” No Heart said. He has since gotten treatment for what he eventually learned was post-traumatic stress disorder and is now “living, not surviving.” Making sure that veterans get the treatment they need continues to be an urgent priority, said Carla Belle “C.B.” Alexander, associate director of the Veterans Black Hills Healthcare System. “One of the saddest legacies of American history is the poor reception (Vietnam) veterans received when they returned home,” Alexander said. “Service members and their families were caught in social turmoil not relevant to their service or to their sacrifice, and which may have delayed veterans' access to health care that they desperately needed to heal.” Dennis Sharp, 70, served in the U.S. Navy in the Vietnam era. He remembers how some people in the States treated him and other veterans who returned from the war. “We weren’t very well-liked when we came back,” Sharp said, his eyes watery. “We got dirty looks, cussed at, spit on.” But Sharp is proud of his service. Jerking his head at the Stars and Stripes, he said he “would die for that flag.” “The whole thing with Vietnam, a lot of people didn’t understand it,” Sharp said. “It was a different kind of war, the proving grounds for what’s happening now. It was like a trial run.” Laurie Hale, an administrator in the VA business office, urged veterans to continue seeking health care through veterans hospitals, even if they have been rejected before. The criteria for eligibility has recently undergone some changes, Hale said, and those who have previously been turned down may now be able to receive help. Veterans looking to receive care through the VA Black Hills Heath Care System should contact the Fort Meade office at 605-347-2511 or the Hot Springs office at 605-745-2000.


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Almost all of No Heart’s friends from the war are now dead. Remembering can be painful, but he said he will never stop. “Never can," he said, "never will.” “I really feel like I have to come here because of my buddy who died over there,” No Heart said. “I’m here for Roger. I’m his eyes and his ears. I’m living for him today.” Back to Top 12 - KBJR (NBC-6, Video): Depot event celebrates Vietnam Veterans on 50th anniversary of the war (30 March, Mackenzie Scott, 102k online visitors/mo; Duluth, MN) It's been about 50 years since the Vietnam War, and the Department of Veteran Affairs has attributed March 29th as a day to remember the war and its veterans. The Duluth Depot is hosted a Thank-You Celebration for Northland Vietnam Veterans Tuesday. "This is the 50th anniversary of the first major battle in Vietnam. The VA is doing it in a long span of time, but Duluth wanted to be first with our celebration of Vietnam Veterans," said Cindy MaCaulay, Readjustment Councilor at the Duluth Vet Center The event was packed with hundreds of people including Veterans, family members and community members attending. "What's going on here is just an incredible Thank-you to Vietnam and their families. We are just overwhelmed with the number of people here. There is also going to be events in International Falls, the first Saturday in May and in Cloquet, the second week in July," said MaCaulay. Vietnam Veterans from all over Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin have shown up for this event that is meant to honor these Veterans and their time in Vietnam. Back to Top 13 - The Herald-Dispatch: Vietnam vets honored at anniversary commemoration (30 March, Lacie Pierson, 102k online visitors/mo; Huntington, WV) A warm welcome awaited Vietnam War veterans Tuesday afternoon at the Huntington VA Medical Center. Nearly 200 local leaders, community members, VA staff and veterans alike filled the center's Recreation Hall to show their appreciation and respect for those who fought in the war, which is in the midst of a years-long commemoration of the 50th anniversary. The anniversary of the Vietnam War has become a way for veteran and community groups and governments throughout the United States to show appreciation to Vietnam veterans, who may not have received such appreciation in the political turmoil of the war when they returned from their tours of duty, said Brian Nimmo, director of the Huntington VA Medical Center.


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"These service members who had been chosen to honor our nation's call were encouraged to travel home not in uniform, but in civilian clothes to avoid being mocked and ridiculed," Nimmo said. "Those who were able slipped back into life, if they could. Others were not so lucky." According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 9 million Americans served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during the period of the Vietnam War, and 7 million Vietnam veterans are living in the U.S. today. The 2008 National Defense Authorization Act passed by Congress allowed the U.S. Secretary of Defense to conduct a national program to commemorate the golden anniversary of the war, which led to the creation of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. The commemoration period began during Memorial Day weekend in 2012, and it will last until Veterans Day 2025, the 50th anniversary of the end of the war. The commemoration even has five goals which are to thank and honor Vietnam War veterans, highlight the service of veterans during the war, pay tribute to the contributions made by civilians in the U.S., highlight the advances in technology, science and medicine related to military research conducted during the war and to recognize the contribution and sacrifices made by the allies of the United States during the Vietnam War. In addition to the political ramifications of the war, Nimmo also talked about the individual impacts, specifically those dealing with mental illness following the war. While many soldiers came home with physical injuries, other soldiers' injuries were less visible to the public and even the medical community at-large. "Sadly many of these unseen injuries suffered by our Vietnam veterans went undiagnosed and weren't understood by our medical community or our citizens as much as they are now," he said. "Veterans were left to meet these challenges alone without the assistance available to them today." In his address to the crowd, U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins, R-W.Va., talked about the initiatives being taken by Congress to fund existing VA programs or to establish new ones to ensure the care and well-being of U.S. military veterans. "We are in the problem solving business in addition to the thank-you business to recognize what you have done and the service you have provided," Jenkins said. "We will keep working on that each and every day ... We are going to fight each and every day just as you fought and put your life on the line for us as a country." Back to Top 14 - The Savannah Tribune: VA Outpatient Clinics Honor Vietnam Era Veterans During 50th Anniversary Commemoration (30 March, 46k online visitors/mo; Savannah, GA)


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The Savannah and Hinesville VA Outpatient Clinics will honor local Vietnam Veterans on March 29 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. by distributing 50th Anniversary Commemorative pins to Vietnam Era Veterans as VA thanks them for their service and extends a proper welcome home. All Vietnam Era Veterans are welcome to come and receive their pin. In May 2012, President Barack Obama called for the Federal Government to partner with organizations and communities across America to participate in the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and its clinics in Savannah and Hinesville, Georgia, and in Myrtle Beach, Beaufort and Goose Creek, South Carolina, are proud Commemorative Partners committed to giving Vietnam Veterans the recognition they deserve. “At our VA, it is our privilege to provide high quality health care services to our nation’s Veterans,” said Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center Director Scott Isaacks. “It’s important for us to make sure that every Veteran who walks through our doors feels welcome and knows that we appreciate them. We’d like to extend a special welcome home to all of our Vietnam Veterans who served during one of our nation’s most difficult conflicts. To our Vietnam Veterans—thank you for your service.” The Vietnam War was a long war, and accordingly a long commemoration period is planned. By presidential proclamation, the Commemoration extends from Memorial Day 2012 through Veterans Day 2025. The Charleston VA will continue to honor Vietnam Era Veterans throughout the commemoration period with events in the area. Back to Top 15 - Black Hills Pioneer: Vietnam vets receive thanks. BH National Cemetery hosts 50th anniversary commemoration (30 March, Jason Gross, 41k online visitors/mo; Spearfish, SD) STURGIS — “We reflect with solemn reverence upon the valor of a generation that served with honor,” Gregory Pietz, cemetery representative at Department of Veterans Affairs and retired U.S. Army, read from a presidential proclamation at the Black Hills National Cemetery, where a Tuesday ceremony marked the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Each veteran in attendance received a handshake and commemorative lapel pin during the ceremony. Vietnan War commemoration began on Memorial Day 2012 at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., and continues for 13 years, until 2025. C.B. Alexander, associate director of the VA Black Hills Health Care System, explained that 13 years is the length of time the United States spent building up a major combat presence in Vietnam to 500,000 troops. Alexander said the poor reception given returning Vietnam War veterans is one of the nation’s saddest legacies. “Service members and their families were caught in social turmoil not relevant to their service or to their sacrifice,” she said, adding that more than 7 million Vietnam-era veterans are currently living and 2 million veterans have passed away.


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During the Vietnam War, more than 3 million service members left their homes and families to serve overseas. “They fought royally to protect the ideas we hold dear as Americans,” Pietz said. There were more than 58,000 deaths resulting from the conflict, and more than 1,600 service members are still unaccounted for, but the casualty list runs much deeper: “We draw inspiration from the heroes who suffered unspeakably as prisoners of war, yet who returned home with their heads held high,” Pietz said. Many wounded Vietnam veterans carry seen and unseen scars, Pietz added. Pietz said people see veterans and family members in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall’s reflection. He added they carry a pain that may never fade. “May they find peace in knowing their loved ones endure — not only in medals and memories — but in the hearts of all Americans,” Pietz said. VA Black Hills Health Care System constantly works to never stop learning from all of war’s wounds, visible and invisible, Alexander said. She added that the entity’s other endeavor is to provide veterans with the highest respect and quality health care they have always deserved but not always been given. “Our opportunity to offer this public welcome-home is long overdue,” Alexander said. “Today is about you, and your family. “None of you are forgotten, and every one of you is appreciated,” she added. Back to Top 16 - Kirksville Daily Express: Ann Haynes Chapter of National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution commemorate Vietnam War vets, families (30 March, 28k online visitors/mo; Kirksville, MO) When the last American combat troops left Vietnam 43 years ago, their return home was far from triumphant, said Linda Hudnall, regent for the Ann Haynes Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Still today, groups like NSDAR are trying to rectify that. The United States Veteran’s Affairs Secretary Robert A. McDonald designated Tuesday a day for all Americans to recognize, honor and thank Vietnam War veterans and their families. The local Ann Haynes Chapter was one of more than 9,000 organizations - including 109 NSDAR chapters in Missouri - across the U.S. who joined with the Veterans Administration and Department of Defense to commemorate the day. “As a commemorative partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration Program authorized by the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, the National Society


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Daughters of the American Revolution Ann Haynes Chapter do express appreciation and pay honor to these veterans of the Vietnam War, including personnel who were held as prisoners of war, or listed as missing in action,” Hudnall said during a ceremony Tuesday morning at the Adair County Veterans Memorial Plaza. Kirksville Mayor Richard Detweiler presented the local chapter with a proclamation from the City of Kirksville, which read in part, “…this commemoration includes the nine million Americans, approximately seven million living today, who served in the United States Armed Forces during this period, and makes no distinction between those who served in-country, in-theater, or were stationed elsewhere during those 20 years - all answered the call of duty…” Back to Top 17 - WRSP (FOX-55, Video): VA Commemorates the 50th Vietnam War Anniversary (30 March, Em Nguyen, 19k online visitors/mo; Springfield, IL) The state of Illinois proclaimed March 29th as the Official 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The VA Illiana Health Care System in Danville held an event on campus to commemorate the war veterans. Every VA in the nation celebrated Vietnam veterans from all across the country. Danville VA decided also to dedicate two new monuments on campus to those who served in Vietnam. At the ceremony, there were many veterans who reflected on their years in war. A sound all too familiar to Larry Wilson who served in the Vietnam War. "I was lucky I made it back," Wilson said. "A lot of guys didn't." Wilson, along with dozens of other veterans, joined the VA Tuesday afternoon to commemorate their service -- and their sacrifices -- from over five decades ago. "We went all through basic and advanced training in the army," Wilson recounts his time with his friend in service. "And when we got to Vietnam he got assigned to an outpost out in the province. We were supposed to go to Australia together on R and R and he got killed just a month before we were supposed to leave." Governor Bruce Rauner said his respect for veterans is second to none. "We owe our freedom to them, our democracy is a beacon of hope for the world," Governor Rauner said. "Because of our veterans and our service men and woman and it's an honor for me to work with them." State Senator Scott Bennett and State Representative Chad Hayes say there is never a time to stop thanking war veterans. The VA decided to dedicate two new monuments to the war veterans. The first, a tree to symbolize the strength and resilience of the soldiers.


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The VA gardener said he uprooted and transported the small tree from the memorial wall in Washington. "It was very well worth this. We hope that all Vietnam veterans will like the memorial and the tree and what it stands for," he said. The second is a plaque to assure the world would never forget the Vietnam War. Peggy Crowder, whose husband died shortly after the Vietnam War, said she never stops being proud of her husband. "He was a wonderful man" she said. "You always expect the worst. I was just lucky he came home..." Wilson said even though the war ended over 50 years ago, he is still struck with gratitude by Illinois and the VA. The VA said this event was the least they could do to honor the Vietnam veterans, the prisoners of war, and those missing in action. They say the hardships of the Vietnam War are simply incomparable to anything else. Back to Top 18 - WVAH (FOX-11, Video): Vietnam War veterans gather at West Virginia Capitol for reunion (30 March, Jeffrey Morris and Brooke Thibodaux, 9k online visitors/mo; Charleston, WV) A special ceremony saying thank you and recognizing Vietnam veterans took place at the West Virginia Capitol. Keynote speaker Cecil Roberts said this day of recognition was actually set aside five years ago. "Time dictates everything to us really. This is really the fifth anniversary of this, but every single person here knows the day they went to Vietnam and every single person knows the day they came home from Vietnam," Roberts said. President of the State Council Vietnam Veterans Dave Simmons said when he got home in 1970, he was instructed by an officer in the airport to change out of his uniform. So, with no civilian clothes, he had to buy a tie dye shirt, swim trunks and flip flops at the airport gift shop. "Of course, I had the short hair and everything. Everybody knew I was a GI, but still they spit at us, threw stuff at us," Simmons said. Simmons said it took him 20 years before he told people he was a veteran. "A lot of us were that way. I mean a lot of guys here are bashful and shy," Simmons said.


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Veterans said the public stopped alienating them after Desert Storm. Roberts said they're drawn here to mourn those lost and those who never came home. "This is a very good healing process too. I think it's an opportunity to honor all Vietnam veterans," Roberts said. Congress is looking at the Toxic Exposure Act of 2016, asking the Veterans Administration to designate a facility for testing. "I'm pushing it . . . Start testing all the chemicals, agent orange gasoline, mo gas, oil, anything that we were exposed to," Simmons said. Roberts said he is no expert, but he's talked to several at various veteran events over the years. He said we should tap into the resources this country has to test the effects. "I have no effects from this, but they say your grandkids or great-grandkids, it can show up in them," Roberts said. Whatever the effects from the Vietnam War had on those who served there, it's clear it had a lasting impact. The soldiers who talked to Eyewitness News said they will carry their memories forever. More than 100 Vietnam veterans were expected to attend a special program at the West Virginia Capitol Wednesday as part of a three-hour reunion gathering. The program was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. with United Mine Workers President and Vietnam War veteran Cecil Roberts serving as the keynote speaker, according to a news release from the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance. Hosted by the state's chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America, the reunion gathering was slated to take place until 3 p.m. State officials said Vietnam veterans face significant physical and psychological health challenges. A bill before Congress (SB901) is asking that the Veterans Administration designate a specific facility to test the long-term effects of the chemicals used in warfare. West Virginians played a big role during the Vietnam War, as 36,578 soldiers from the Mountain State served in U.S. armed forces during the Vietnam era. Memorials list 732 West Virginia soldiers who died during the Vietnam War, but the Vietnam Veterans of America group in West Virginia believes that the actual total is 1,104 deaths. Back to Top 19 - Redstone Rocket: Veterans center honors Vietnam vets for their service (30 March, Jason Cutshaw, 5.9k online visitors/mo; Decatur, AL)


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Residents from across North Alabama gave Vietnam veterans a long-overdue “Welcome Home” last week and thanked them for their service. Huntsville community members and others came out to honor those who served in the jungles of Southeast Asia during the Madison County Vet Center Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War and Open House in Huntsville on March 24. “Today we reflect on the Vietnam War and pay tribute to the veterans who served there, who fought there and who died there,” Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command’s Commander Lt. Gen. David Mann said. “Many of our Vietnam veterans experienced fierce combat in harsh environments a half a world away from home. And during troubled times for our country, many returning to a nation divided, sometimes unwelcomed and facing arguments, protests and even ridicule, making days like today, and events like this, that much more important.” During the Vietnam War, America lost more than 58,000 men and women, with the majority less than 21 years of age. The number of wounded exceeded 300,000, not including the emotional and psychological impact of the war on those serving. “It is fitting we also recognize the many veterans’ organizations who serve all of our veterans, regardless of the war or conflict, and making a real difference for so many who have given so much of themselves,” Mann said. “After all, veterans understand combat’s lasting impact and what it means to be a veteran.” He thanked the Madison County Veterans Center team and the Department of Veteran Affairs for hosting this event and what they do every day for the veterans. He recognized all the veterans and their families who were present and thanked them for their service, dedication and sacrifice on behalf of the country. “I would like to take a moment to recognize and thank the family members of our veterans; the spouses, children, parents, siblings and others who continue to support our veterans and for those families who still grieve for their loved ones who did not return,” Mann said. “Lastly, I would like to simply thank our veterans. Because of you our country remains free and a blessed nation. Every American who has served leaves a legacy. The United States exists because brave men and women have risked their lives. To the veterans here today and those no longer with us, we can never thank you enough. Our country owes you a debt of gratitude that can never be fully repaid.” Other community leaders were present to show their support for the men and women who served their nation five decades ago and did not receive the heroes’ welcome they deserved. “This is another great celebration in our community to recognize our Vietnam veterans,” Gulf War veteran and Madison Mayor Troy Trulock said. “We want to say ‘thank you’ to those veterans who served in Vietnam. “We also wanted to come out and see this great Vet Center. This is a fantastic facility, and it is here to take care of our combat veterans who may need help no matter when they served.” One Vietnam veteran said the Vet Center is a great place for combat veterans to come and speak about physical, mental and emotional issues, such as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, to someone who can help them adjust and feel wanted.


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“Today’s ceremony was heartfelt,” Vietnam veteran J.D. Booker, who served in the Marine Corps from 1964-68, said. “We, as Vietnam veterans, have mixed emotions because when we came back, we were totally rejected. We were afraid to even wear our uniforms. “A day like today makes you feel a part of the country again and it makes you feel accepted and appreciated,” he added. “To have something like this, the emotional feelings are something most people will never fully understand. This facility is super, you can come here and feel welcome and at home. They treat you like you are a hero.” Vet centers across the country provide a broad range of counseling, outreach and referral services to combat veterans and their families. Vet centers guide veterans and their families through many of the major adjustments in lifestyle that often occur after a veteran returns from combat. Services for a veteran may include individual and group counseling in areas such as PTSD, alcohol and drug assessment, suicide prevention referrals and others. All services are free and are strictly confidential. “When most of our Vietnam veterans returned home they were not greeted as our veterans are now and that is unfortunate,” Felecia L. Earle, Madison County Vet Center team leader and readjustment counselor, said. “They served when they were called, just as our veterans do today. Today is not going to make up for that, however we want to recognize them and let them know that we do care and this is our way of saying ‘Welcome Home.’ “We owe them a great deal of gratitude. We want them to have our undivided attention and let them know we not only have counseling services, but we want to honor them.” The vet center program was enacted in 1979 by Congress. They not only provide counseling services to combat veterans and their family members, the center also offers counseling programs for sexual trauma and bereavement counseling to family members if their loved ones die while on active duty. There are more than 300 vet centers across the nation and in Puerto Rico and Guam. Alabama has vet centers in Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery and Mobile. Their website is www.vetcenter.va.gov. “The vet centers came to be because of the services our Vietnam veterans were not receiving,” Earle said. “Not only are they our heroes, they are a reason the vet centers are in place. “Our target audience is combat veterans, however if any veteran comes into the Vet Center, even if we cannot provide the services here, we will work with them to find those services in the community so they will not get dropped through the cracks.” Back to Top 31 March


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1 - Battle Creek Enquirer: Letter: Thanking our Vietnam veterans (31 March, Brian Pogouske, 163k online visitors/mo; Battle Creek, MI) Thanking our Vietnam veterans The Battle Creek VA Health Care Delivery System honored Vietnam veterans in honor of the 50th Anniversary Commemoration on Tuesday along with other VA facilities throughout the United States. This is a partnership with the Department of Defense 50th Anniversary Commemoration initiative to honor and thank the 7.2 million living Vietnam veterans and the 9 million families of those who served from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975. History makes crystal clear the importance of this commemoration. We cannot change the past, but we can take the time now to honor those who served during the Vietnam era. Vietnam was a long war, and accordingly a long commemoration period is planned. By presidential proclamation, the commemoration extends through Veterans Day 2025. We are forever grateful forto the service of the Vietnam veterans. Other events will take place in the future to honor these veterans. Our director, Dr. Mary Beth Skupien, notes that with the authorization of Congress and the president, “We have the opportunity to do what should have been done 50 years ago: welcome our Vietnam veterans home with honor, and thank them and their families for their service and sacrifice. Our goal is to formally recognize and thank each of the over 18,000 Vietnam veterans served by the Battle Creek Health Care Delivery System. March 29 is significant because March 29, 1973 marked the withdrawal of ground troops in Vietnam and the end of the United States active involvement in the Vietnam War. Many communities throughout the country celebrate March 29 as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. We thank Vietnam veterans and their families for their sacrifice and service. Welcome Home! Brian Pogouske, Public affairs, VA Medical Center Back to Top 2 - WLOS (ABC-13, Video): Local veteran says federal program to reduce wait times is now part of the problem (31 March, John Le, 109k online visitors/mo; Asheville, NC) A Bryson City man says the federal program intended to fix the veterans' healthcare crisis now leaves him in a world of hurt. Veterans Choice was created in 2014 amidst the national outcry over wait times. "I just can't get out and do much of anything," John Stroud said, who says he can't walk far without radiating pain in his back.


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He says Veterans Choice gave him no choice but to call News 13. Stroud is still waiting to hear the news that could drastically change his quality of life. "I can't get out and have fun," he said from his living room chair. "Walk, or go to the mountains." The Navy veteran says he desperately needs spinal injections to ease his pain. The more than year-long fight has been a losing battle. "They're not making me an appointment," he vented. "I've been very depressed about it and it just makes me upset and angry," Stroud said. "Not at the VA itself. I hear other veterans are having problems with this Veterans Choice." The Veterans Choice Act was hailed as the answer to the wait-list scandal that broke in 2014. It gave vets the ability to get medical care elsewhere in the community if the VA cannot schedule an appointment within 30 days. Many say that might have been a good start, but it still falls short "The Veterans Choice Program is not working," Stroud said. Senator Richard Burr sponsored the Veterans Choice Improvement Act of 2016. Charles George VA Medical Center director Cynthia Breyfogle says delays and confusion remain a challenge. "And part of what they're hoping to do is simplify it and make it easier to manage the process," Breyfogle explained. In a statement to News 13 Thursday, Breyfogle outlined some measures that are in place to help. "We stand ready to assist Veterans who are having difficulty getting appointments through the Choice system. Nationally, the contractor who manages the Choice program has hired over 400 new customer service staff members to improve responsiveness to resolving Veteran questions and issues," the statement reads. At a ceremony honoring Vietnam Veterans on Tuesday, Congressman Mark Meadows told News 13 the push for timely care is a work in progress. "Any delay is too much of a delay do we are redoubling our efforts to get quality care," Meadows said at the observance of the Vietnam War's 50th anniversary. Even so, a bill making its way through Congress doesn't help Stroud today. "Not been able to do a lot of things," he lamented. He says his son Jeremy, who's stationed at Fort Bragg, is fuming. "He's upset about it too," Stroud said.


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His son worries for his dad while wondering if he'll be taken care of when he retires. Stroud says a Swain County clinic can provide the injections he needs but it's up to Veterans Choice to make the appointment. He feels like he's getting the runaround. Veterans who are experiencing issues with the Choice program may call (828) 299-5838 for assistance. Back to Top 3 - CentralKYNews.com (Jessamine Journal): Welcome Home: Vietnam veterans honored as part of 50th anniversary commemoration (31 May, David Brock, 34k online visitors/mo; Danville, KY) There was more salt and pepper seasoning the crowd of military members gathered at Camp Nelson National Cemetery on Tuesday than your typical “welcome home” event for the troops. That’s what happens when a country takes five decades to extend the courtesy. “You were not given your just welcome home,” Nick McManus, co-chairman of the Central Kentucky Veterans Committee told the crowd. “For the next nine years our country will honor you and your service.” The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs set aside March 29 as a date to “welcome home” service members as part of an ongoing 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War. It is part of a 13-year-long series of events to honor Vietnam veterans that was established by President Barack Obama in a 2012 proclamation. It was a decidedly different kind of homecoming Tuesday than ones staged at airports across the country for those returning from recent wars. “When my son returned from his four tours recently, it has been different and I’m glad it has been,” said Don Thornton, who served in the U.S. Army First Logistical Command during Vietnam and now co-chairs the Central Kentucky Veteran’s Committee. “It’s been altogether different for him than it was for folks returning from Vietnam. People line up at airports and give up their seats on airplanes for them. That just wasn’t the way people were treated back then.” Skip Kraemer, 71, of Nicholasville spoke during the ceremony about his experiences as a radio communications operator with the Army. The former sales executive said he didn’t receive the same kind of vitriol and anger that some did, but understand the need for Vietnam vets to be able to receive the widespread acknowledgment many veterans of past and current wars have enjoyed. Thornton said it was important to remember that everyone’s Vietnam experience — during or after the war — was different. “It’s an individual thing,” Thornton said. “Some when they left (Vietnam) that was pretty much the end of it, while others always have it on their minds. It was hard for many of them not to feel


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angry when you have situations like Jane Fonda, and demonstrations, the ROTC building at UK getting bombed and all that while they were in the jungle ducking bullets. These were all just people called to do a job, either enlistees or draftees.” The Vietnam War was also the last where a widespread draft process was actually implemented. The experience shaped the future for millions of men 18 years and older. McManus, was one of those who believes the course of his life was in part determined by the hour he was born and the bouncing ping pong balls during the 1970 draft lottery. The military school graduate from New York was of draft age and had 1-A draft availability, but his number was never called. “I was born April 12 at 1:33 a.m. so my number was 146,” McManus said. “If it had been an hour and a half earlier I would have been number 14. Instead of going to war I went to work. I’ve honestly felt guilty about that for a long time and have a lot of friends who have as well and are in the same boat. It gives me great satisfaction to give back to these people.” About 2.7 million Americans served the Vietnam war effort, with about 153,400 of those wounded and 58,200. Tuesday’s event included speeches from those who returned, as well as honors for those who didn’t. It also paid homage to those whose lives were changed forever on the home front. One of those people was Nicholasville Police Chief Barry Waldrop. His father, Army Staff Sgt. Kyle Waldrop, was killed in action in Vietnam when the future police chief was only 15 years old. Waldrop said the effects of that are still fresh. “It’s still hard, because it all feels like it just happened yesterday,” Waldrop said. “This makes it just a little bit easier to be here with these people.” McManus has channeled his respect for those who serve, and their families, into his own service, a pursuit Kraemer has encouraged among his fellow veterans. He did that again from the podium on Tuesday, extolling the benefits of helping fellow military members when they come home. Kraemer has become active with the local American Legion post and believes Vietnam veterans in particular have a lot to share with the current generation of warriors. He stressed that there’s still work to do after they are welcomed back. “Groups like the American Legion are doing such a great job trying to reach out to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans that are dealing with a lot of the same issues those who served in Vietnam or even Korea were,” Kraemer said. “It’s an adjustment and it’s real difficult when you are thrown into that lifestyle. It changes the way you see everything.” Back to Top 4 - The Daily Reporter: Vietnam War commemoration held at courthouse (31 March, Jennifer Harris, 27k online visitors/mo; Coldwater, MI)


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The Coldwater Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, along with the Veterans Administration, held a ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War on Tuesday, March 29 in front of the Branch County Courthouse. Charles Scott, director of Branch County Veterans Affairs, gave opening remarks and assisted with the flag raising of the commemorative Vietnam Veterans flag, which flew over the courthouse all day Tuesday. DAR Coldwater Chapter Regent Debra Reister said, "It's no secret Vietnam Veterans did not get the proper welcome home when they returned after serving our country. The DAR has partnered with the Department of Defense to thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War, for their service and sacrifices and to thank and honor the families of these veterans." A Proclamation naming March 29, 2016 'Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day' by Thomas Kramer, Mayor for the City of Coldwater, was read by Reister, after Vietnam Veterans raised the Vietnam flag. DAR members, Nancy Sprow and Janice Simons, honored the nine Vietnam Veterans present by giving them commemorative lapel pins and bumper stickers. On behalf of a grateful Nation, and the DAR of Coldwater, the veterans were thanked and honored for their patriotism for their service and sacrifice during the Vietnam War. The Veterans answered the nation's call and proudly served, and they were thanked for their continued dedication to this country. Bud Norman, County Administrator, was also present and thanked the veterans. Reister said, "Veterans are more than just individuals who served in our military during a time of war. They are the protectors of our freedom, the ones who make it possible for all of us to pursue the American dream. They are America’s true heroes." "We owe an enormous debt to the veterans of this nation. This debt is payable only in respect, honor and remembrance" Reister added. Back to Top 1 April 1 - Chicago Tribune (Evanston Review): From the community: Evanston Vet Center and Evanston Public Library to host joint Vietnam War Commemorative event April 16 (1 April, 13.5M online visitors/mo; Chicago, IL) The Evanston Vet Center and the Evanston Public Library will jointly host a 50th commemorative event to honor Vietnam War Veterans on Saturday, April 16 at the Evanston Public Library. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense and thousands of other organizations across the country are joining together in the U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration to honor Vietnam Veterans throughout 2016, to mark the 50th anniversary of the final withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam.


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"Our Nation's Vietnam War Commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor, and thank our Vietnam Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices during one of America's longest wars," McDonald said in a statement to kick-off the VA's participation. The joint event at the Evanston Public Library will feature speakers, including Cook County Commissioner and Veteran Larry Suffredin. Vietnam Veterans in attendance will be individually recognized with a commemorative pin. Refreshments will be provided. WHAT: Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemorative Event WHEN: 1 p.m., Saturday, April 16 WHERE: Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave, Evanston, Ill. WHO: The public is invited to attend Back to Top 2 - WAVE (NBC-3): Vietnam Veterans honored at 50 year commemoration (1 April, Kelsey Graeter, 65k online visitors/mo; Louisville, KY) Veterans were honored and thanked for their service Thursday at the Vietnam War Commemoration 50 anniversary event. Thursday’s event at Robley Rex Veteran Affairs Medical Center marked the beginning of a series of events that will honor, thank and welcome home Vietnam veterans throughout the year. Robley Rex VAMC will partner with other organizations to host all events. Middletown mayor and Vietnam Veteran Byron Chapman was featured at the kick-off event. Veterans also signed commemorative posters that illustrated where they served in Vietnam. The posters will be displayed in the Veteran Affairs Medical Center and clinics. Eastern High School JRROTC contributed to honoring the veterans with a Missing Man ceremony. The dates marking the end of the war are skewed making setting an exact date for a commemorative anniversary difficult. “It's late but it's more than we thought we'd have. Whoever came up with 50 years really got that screwed up,” Veteran Mary Rhodes said. “We all know it but we're going to take what we can get while we can get it” Combat forced ended in Vietnam late March 1973. However, troops remained until 1975. Back to Top 2 April


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1 - Omaha World-Herald: Editorial: Vietnam vets get a 'thank you.' When the local office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs threw a modest “welcome home” celebration this week for area veterans, it was much appreciated (2 April, 2.4M online visitors/mo; Omaha, NE) When Otho Cox came home on leave during the Vietnam War, he and his wife were turned away from a Chicago restaurant because he was wearing his Air Force uniform. When Ralph Sabatka landed at Eppley Airfield after two years in the Navy, only his father and uncle were there to greet him. When Steve Giles served in the Air Force, he sometimes couldn’t leave his base because of antiwar demonstrations outside the gates. Americans have learned a lot since the Vietnam War about how to separate their views about a war from their feelings about the warriors. But for many veterans of that war, the bitter memories haven’t faded. Vietnam proved costly for the United States, both financially and in human capital. By late 1967, nearly 500,000 U.S. troops were involved in the conflict. More than 15,000 Americans had been killed and more than 109,500 were wounded. The United States was spending $25 billion a year on Vietnam, and the public was increasingly opposed to the war. It was Oct. 21, 1967, when an estimated 100,000 people swarmed the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., in a massive protest. About 30,000 marched on the Pentagon later that night and confronted U.S. marshals and soldiers. Hundreds of protesters were arrested in the fracas. By the time Saigon fell on April 30, 1975, more than 3.4 million Americans had served in the conflict, and more than 58,000 had died. Nebraska suffered 396 casualties, while Iowa saw 851. Those who served were often wrongly blamed for the politically toxic war. So when the local office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs threw a modest “welcome home” celebration this week for area veterans, it was much appreciated. The affair at Bellevue University included coffee, cookies and kudos. “You were met with indifference at best and contempt at worst,” John Hilgert, director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs, told the 85 veterans who attended from Nebraska and western Iowa. The party was held Tuesday, 43 years after the last U.S. combat troops were withdrawn from South Vietnam. In the four decades since then, the nation has done better by its Vietnam veterans. They are no longer ignored in patriotic parades and other commemorative events. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, dedicated in 1982, is one of the top tourist attractions in the nation’s capital, with millions of visitors each year.


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In June, Omahans Bill and Evonne Williams will lead the first Nebraska Vietnam Combat Veterans Flight to Washington to visit the Wall and other war memorials. As of 2014, 46,633 Vietnam-era veterans were living in Nebraska and 77,914 in Iowa. Each and every one deserves a thank-you. Back to Top 2 - Sun Herald: Pay respect to the veterans who earned it (2 April, Charles Fink, 745k online visitors/mo; Gulfport, MS) On March 29, my mom took me to the Biloxi National Cemetery's Vietnam Memorial Service. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but what happened made me both sad and proud. When we arrived at the service, we took our seats. As the Vietnam veterans started to arrive, I introduced myself and shook each one's hand. I thanked each veteran for their service. Several of these veterans got tears in their eyes. I was kind of sad that they thought kids like me didn't know anything about Vietnam. One 80-year-old colonel asked me to take a picture with him. When the first Vietnam veteran speaker began, I kind of got upset. How could people treat veterans the way that these veterans were treated after the war? I felt mad when I heard about the role the media played during the war and the things they said the American troops did. The speaker told us about a chemical called Agent Orange, and I felt bad that so many veterans had to endure that. The speaker also told us how many veterans served in the war and how many died. I was sad that the veterans were not respected or recognized when they came home from war. I am upset that the veterans' physical and mental illnesses were not taken care of. My mom and dad are both Marine Corps veterans, and I would've been upset if my parents had been treated that way. My dad works at the Biloxi VA hospital, so he teaches me how to respect and talk to veterans. As the speaker talked, I began crying. I have been to the National Vietnam Memorial. I have seen my cousins' names on the wall. I have seen how this war caused PTSD in two of my uncles. After the ceremony and after taps was played, I gave the speaker a hug, and I cried. I learned more today about the Vietnam War than I ever have before. I am glad these veterans are finally getting the recognition they deserve. CHARLES FINK St. Patrick High School, seventh grade Back to Top


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3 - Winston-Salem Journal: Our view: Vietnam vets deserve honors and recognition (2 April, 246k online visitors/mo; Winston Salem, NC) A commemoration was held Tuesday to salute the military veterans who served during the Vietnam War, 50 years past. The event was a strong reminder that we should reaffirm our commitment to these vets. Nearly 400 people attended the commemoration at the recently opened Kernersville VA Health Care Center, the Journal’s John Hinton reported. Though many of the vets wore parts of their uniforms or service insignias, one of the most striking features may have been the lines on their faces — many are now in their late 60s or early 70s, and time is catching up. At some point, they will be as rare as World War II survivors are now. “Today, we want to recognize you, our American heroes, and all that you have done,” Brent Erickson, the administrator of the Kernersville VA Health Care Center, said during the ceremony. “I join a grateful nation in honoring Vietnam War veterans and their family members. We also mourn those who were lost in battle, and those who are no longer with us.” Veteran Don Timmons of Clemmons spoke at the ceremony, saluting his fellow veterans and encouraging them to warmly welcome home veterans of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. “It was a different atmosphere when we came home,” Timmons said. “Let’s not ever let that happen again.” The Vietnam War occurred during a time of great social unrest in America that contributed to the anger and confusion that some still feel about our involvement in Vietnam. Our men and women in uniform were often on the receiving end of unfair and unwarranted criticism and abusive treatment. They had to fight a war on a foreign shore, then, too many of them felt, another war back home. Those scars will remain for a lifetime. Since then, America has taken steps to affirm our respect for those who served, but our commitment to them has been betrayed at times by political neglect. Even as recently as three years ago, thousands of veterans in North Carolina had difficulty receiving prompt and proper medical care, as well as the benefit checks on which they relied to pay bills. To the shame of our community, some of our local vets have found themselves without homes. These problems have largely been addressed. Several local grants were administered by the United Way and other organizations to help. And the new Kernersville VA Health Care Center is a step in the right direction, one we hope will provide the care our wounded warriors deserve. But they shouldn’t have occurred in the first place. It’s proper to hold a ceremony. Officially, by presidential proclamation, we’ll be commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War from May 28, 2012, through Nov. 11, 2025.


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But ceremonies and proclamations are not enough. We must be vigilant to show our veterans the gratitude and care they deserve. Back to Top 4 - Daily Local News: Coatesville VA honors Vietnam veterans (2 April, Ginger Dunbar, 212k online visitors/mo; West Chester, PA) CALN >> The Coatesville Veteran Affairs Medical Center honored Vietnam veterans Tuesday during its Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) conducted events nationwide on March 29 in VA facilities to recognize, honor and thank Vietnam War veterans for their service and sacrifices, as part of the national Vietnam War Commemoration. “Through Commemorations, like today’s we intend to offer the thanks of our nation to as many as possible of the 7.2 million living Vietnam veterans and the 9 million families of those who served from November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975,” said Gary Devansky, Coatesville VA Medical Center director. The 138 veterans present at the Coatesville VA in Caln received a commemoration pin from VA Department. During the ceremony, Lieutenant Colonel Jack Deichman received the Bronze Star medal with the “V” device, which means he received the Bronze Star Medal for valor. Deichman was commissioned as a second lieutenant in April 1967. After months of training, he was sent to Vietnam in late September, where he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. From April 30 to May 3, 1968, Deichman participated in combat operations around a group of villages named Dai Do. The 652 marines and sailors of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines were tasked to stop the advance of a 10,000-man strong 320 North Vietnamese Army Division. The 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines halted the advancing enemy and drove them back into North Vietnam. Deichman was awarded the Silver Star for his heroic actions under fire and the Purple Heart for being wounded in action. His company commander received the Congressional Medal of Honor. His battalion commander, now retired Brigadier General William Weiss was awarded the Navy Cross. Weiss presented Deichman with his Bronze Star at the event. After Vietnam, Deichman continued his career in the Marine Corps. He transitioned and spent the next 22 years in the communications and intelligence, fields. He served in various assignments which included serving as the first marine on the National Signals Intelligence Council. His last assignment was as a battalion commander of a Marine Support Battalion. He retired from the Marine Corps as a Lt. Colonel in 1986. Deichman’s military awards include: Silver Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Commendation Medal, Purple Heart, National Defense Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary


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Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and his newly presented Bronze Star Medal. Coatesville VA is one of 152 Veteran Affairs Medical Centers nationwide. “From the beginning of the Vietnam War, Coatesville Veteran Affairs Medical Center has served Vietnam Veterans who came home,” Devansky said. “On behalf of the employees at the Coatesville VA Medical Center we are very honored to host this important commemoration and to say a sincere thank you to all Vietnam era veterans for their sacrifice and service to our nation.” State Rep. Steve Barrar, majority chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, along with other members of the House and Senate, said the ceremony recognized the end of the Vietnam War and celebrated the men and women who served there. All of the Vietnam veterans in attendance in Harrisburg were presented with lapel pins to recognize them for their service. An eagle, laurel wreath, and the stars and stripes were imprinted on the pins. “Unfortunately, for reasons well out of their control, Vietnam veterans have not received the respect they deserve,” said Barrar, R-167th of Upper Chichester. “Any personal beliefs about a war do not change the commitments and incredible dedication of our military, dedication that must never be forgotten.” Brig. Gen. Jerry Beck spoke of the Faces Never Forgotten Project, which is dedicated to displaying a picture of each fallen Vietnam hero on the virtual wall. More than 58,000 men and women died in the war. Back to Top 3 April 1 - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Some state lawmakers want permanent Vietnam veterans holiday (3 April, Brian C. Rittmeyer, 1.8M online visitors/mo; Warrendale, PA) A state recognition honoring the return of U.S. troops from Vietnam appears unlikely to become a permanent holiday. Instead, it will require lawmakers to approve a resolution each year for the commemoration, said Nate Silcox, executive director of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee. A bill that would designate March 29 as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day is pending in the House, where it was referred to that body's corresponding committee in January. This year's date passed with no action on the measure.


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State Rep. Eli Evankovich, R-Murrysville, is a co-sponsor of the pending House bill. He sponsored resolutions for the March 29 observance in 2014 and 2015, but he did not put forth a resolution in the House this year, hoping for movement on the legislation instead, according to his spokesman, Scott Little. A Senate resolution designated March 29 for the recognition this year. The date is when the last American combat troops left Vietnam in 1973 — March 29 being when they left, and March 30 being when they returned home. But Silcox said his “sense of the House” is that lawmakers prefer designating the day by resolution each year, rather than making it a permanent annual observance through a bill. The difference is that a resolution can be passed by either legislative body; a bill requires passage by both bodies and the governor's signature. In 2010, such a measure passed the House but failed in the Senate. Silcox works for state Sen. Randy Vulakovich, R-Shaler, who chairs the Senate committee. He sponsored Senate resolutions for the observance this year and in 2015. “Everybody likes the idea of supporting veterans,” Silcox said, equating the difference between a resolution and a bill as “six of one and a half dozen of the other.” “There's nothing wrong with doing it by resolution,” Silcox said. “It does require remembering. It symbolizes that we are indeed active each year doing it.” State Rep. Steve Barrar, R-Delaware County, who chairs the House committee, did not respond to requests for comment. The prime sponsor of the House bill, Rep. Seth Grove, R-York County, also did not return calls. New Kensington resident Dennis Gianotti, 65, served with the Army in Vietnam in 1971. He has been advocating for the holiday since 2009. He wants those who served to be remembered. “Some say that's what Veterans Day is for. That's not quite accurate,” Gianotti said. “Other veterans didn't get things thrown at them and protested when they came home from their war.” For an annual holiday, “there's not one dollar it costs,” he said. “Not one tax dollar.” Back to Top 2 - Waco Tribune-Herald: Guest columnist: Providence Healthcare Network stepping up to help veterans access prompt health care (3 April, Steve Province, 287k online visitors/mo; Waco, TX) Among America’s greatest strengths are the women and men who put their lives on the line to defend our country. From the 18-year-old high school graduate who just enlisted, to all veterans who depend on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for health care and benefits, we have an obligation to serve those who serve us.


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In 2014, Congress passed by overwhelming votes the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act to solve some of the well-publicized challenges that veterans had been experiencing in accessing Veterans Affairs health-care services. Commonly referred to as the Veterans Choice Program, it was designed to enable eligible veterans to receive primary care, inpatient and outpatient specialty care and mental-health care from non-VA health-care providers. The idea was to help solve the health-care access challenge by giving our veterans more options for their care. Unfortunately, this program — viewed with great promise by those who have faced unacceptable waiting times for needed medical care — hasn’t quite worked as intended. Access-related issues continue for too many veterans. Providence Healthcare Network, part of Ascension, the nation’s largest nonprofit health system, has over 200 veterans who continue to serve our community as part of TEAMPROVIDENCE. We understand that many of them also experience these struggles first-hand. As a veteran myself, I am honored to have had the opportunity to serve my country in the U.S. Navy. I served alongside many brave women and men who made personal sacrifices in order to defend and protect our nation. I am grateful to those who made that sacrifice and to those who continue to make that sacrifice today, affording us freedom, security and democracy. As both a hospital administrator and 10-year disabled veteran, I understand the importance of receiving quality, expert health care and the frustrations many veterans experience as they are unable to access care in a timely manner. I am proud to say Providence, along with more than 2,000 Ascension sites of care, is stepping up to help ensure that service members, veterans and their families can connect to resources that enhance their well-being. Why are we getting involved? Caring for our nation’s veterans is one of the most important things we can do. Our mission calls us to provide compassionate, personalized care for all with special attention to the poor and vulnerable. Right now, no population is more vulnerable and more deserving of our compassion and support than our nation’s veterans. Our veterans deserve the best care we can offer and that’s not the sole responsibility of just the VA system — it’s the responsibility of all caregivers, whether government or private, for profit or nonprofit. Through the Veterans Choice Program, we can work together to expand the number of health care options for our nation’s veterans, ensuring more timely access to high-quality care. To help ensure the most effective service on a sustained basis, Ascension has organized a system-wide monitoring effort that features a help line to quickly identify and address any access issues that may arise and share best practices across our health system and with the VA. Providence is purposefully entering into a complex program with significant challenges. But the women and men who have sacrificed so much for us deserve access to high-quality health care. Working together, we have every confidence that our Veterans Choice public-private partnership will advance care for our military veterans and ultimately provide ideas on how to improve the delivery of health care in the general population as well. Steve Province is the chief operating officer of Providence Healthcare Network and a veteran of the U.S. Navy.


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Back to Top 3 - Whittier Daily News (San Gabriel Valley Tribune): Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day founder hosts last event in Whittier (3 April, Brian Day, 94k online visitors/mo; Whittier, CA) Fifteen years after launching a campaign to heal some of the nation’s historic wounds and honor Vietnam veterans for their service, Jose Ramos hosted his last Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day event in his hometown of Whittier, where it all began. Veterans, their families and grateful Americans joined together at Sierra Vista High School to observe the day, which has been officially recognized by the state of California since 2011. The grassroots campaign began as the dream of one veteran, and has since spread to every corner of the country. It was designed to show Vietnam veterans the honorable “welcome home” they did not receive four decades ago. “They weren’t ready when they sent us away, and they damn sure weren’t ready when we came home,” he said. At Ramos’ request, Whittier became the first city in the U.S. to recognize Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day in 2002 He and a small team made a cross-country bike ride in 2003, and rapidly built support for the idea. The day received statewide recognition in late-2009, when then-California Gov. Arnold Schwarznegger signed a bill establishing the designation. All 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico, have since followed suit, Ramos said. But Ramos is ready to focus his attention on a new project to honor veterans. “This is my last event,” he said. He was hopeful that local veterans organizations would continue to team with the city of Whittier to carry on future Welcome Home Vietnam Days without his guidance. At Sunday’s event, live bands provided a concert while representatives of groups ranging from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to local AMVETS and VFW posts hosted a resource fair to connect veterans with available services. U.S. Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-El Monte, made a surprise visit. Rather than give an address from the stage, she spent her visit walking through the event and speaking with veterans one-on-one.


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Despite the remarkable success Ramos’ campaign has achieved, “I don’t feel like I reached the goal,” he said. While the U.S. Congress has passed resolutions in support of recognizing Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day, it has not received a formal, federal designation, Ramos said. A proclamation by President Barack Obama in 2012 designated March 29 Vietnam Veterans Day. But the designation did not include the words, “welcome home,” which Ramos explained is the main point of his efforts. “We didn’t get a (national) Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day, but we raised awareness about a welcome home,” Ramos said. Ramos’ wife, Sylvia Ramos, said she admired the accomplishments her husband has made through his tireless efforts. “He as a passion for the veterans. It’s all about the veterans. I don’t know where that passion comes from,” she said. “I’m extremely proud of him,” she said. And although Ramos is planning to step away from organizing Whittier’s WHVVD event, he’s got another idea to pursue. Ramos said he hopes “ The Living Veterans’ Memorial,” which now exists only as an idea in Ramos’ mind and some sketches in a note pad, will someday stand in Los Angeles County as a permanent tribute to all living veterans. His concept involved a community park, joined with retail spaces to be rented to veterans and a memorial in which veterans are invited to express themselves through art. The Living Memorial would serve as a home for veterans, both before they deploy and upon returning from service. After returning from Vietnam himself, Ramos said he spent three days in a bar, simply because it was familiar to him, before contacting his family. “I wish to God I would have had some place like (The Living Memorial) when I came home,” he said. 4 April 1 - The Brownsville Herald: VA clinic to host commemorative ceremony for Vietnam era vets (4 April, 56k online visitors/mo; Brownsville, TX) The Harlingen VA clinic will host a Vietnam Era veterans commemorative ceremony on Thursday. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the VA Health Care Center, 2601 Veterans Drive in Harlingen.


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“The VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System, Corpus Christi VA Clinics, will host a solemn ceremony in recognition of the Vietnam Era veterans,” the VA said in a statement. “Our nation’s Vietnam War commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor and thank our Vietnam Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices during one of America’s longest wars.” The community is invited to attend. Back to Top 5 April 1 - The Tampa Tribune: Medal of Honor recipient urges St. Pete crowd to help veterans (5 April, Howard Altman, 790k online visitors/mo; Tampa, FL) On Oct. 15, 1973, three men stood in the White House before President Richard Nixon as he bestowed upon them the Medal of Honor for valor and heroics in the Vietnam War. Tuesday morning at a C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center ceremony honoring Vietnam-era service, one of those men used the moment to link lessons learned then to the ongoing struggles of veterans and active-duty service members today. “You see these young kids coming back now; they’re hiding in their rooms — can’t go anywhere. They can’t live with the pressure,” said retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Gary Littrell, a ribbon holding the nation’s highest military honor slung from his neck. “Write down the hotline number. Set it there beside him. Call the hotline number for him. Pick him or her up. Put ‘em in the car and say, ‘I’m gonna practice some tough love. I’m taking you for help.’ ” Littrell, the keynote speaker at the center’s Vietnam War Commemoration, teared up before a crowd that numbered in the hundreds. “I challenge each of you to continue to do that,” he said, imploring the audience, especially Vietnam War veterans, to work on reducing the suicide rate among active-duty personnel and veterans. “We gotta get this 22-veterans-a-day number way down.” � � � In April 1970, Army Sgt. 1st Class Littrell was a light weapons infantry adviser with the 23d Battalion, 2nd Ranger Group near the Dak Seang Camp in Vietnam. After establishing a defensive perimeter on a hill, Littrell’s battalion came under an intense enemy mortar attack that killed the Vietnamese commander and one U.S. adviser and seriously wounded all the other advisers except Littrell, according to his Medal of Honor citation. Over the next four days, Littrell “exhibited near superhuman endurance as he single-handedly bolstered the besieged battalion. Repeatedly abandoning positions of relative safety, he directed artillery and air support by day and marked the unit’s location by night, despite the


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heavy, concentrated enemy fire. His dauntless will instilled in the men of the 23d Battalion a deep desire to resist.” Waves of enemy assaults were repulsed as the battalion responded to the “extraordinary leadership and personal example exhibited” by Littrell as he moved to areas “most seriously threatened by the enemy, redistributed ammunition, strengthened faltering defenses, cared for the wounded and shouted encouragement to the Vietnamese in their own language.” As the battalion finally withdrew, it was ambushed and Littrell “repeatedly prevented widespread disorder by directing air strikes to within 50 meters of their position. Through his indomitable courage and complete disregard for his safety, he averted excessive loss of life and injury to the members of the battalion.” � � � For his courage, Littrell was awarded the Medal of Honor and went to the White House along with one of the men his unit was en route to rescue that day, an Army medic named Gary Burnell Beikirch who was at Dak Seang Camp and was wounded in the siege there, and Kenneth Kays. Kays was an Army medic who, like Beikirch, continued to provide care for the wounded after being shot, though in a different engagement and location. Littrell, who is part of a suicide prevention team that reaches out to active-duty service members, brought up the White House ceremony to illustrate the problem. “Oct 15, 1973, three young men went to the White House for President Nixon to put the medal around our necks,” Littrell told the audience Tuesday. “All three of us had been subjected to, eh, some moderately stressful situations.” Littrell paused as the large crowd, many with firsthand knowledge of the rigors of combat in Vietnam, broke out in laughter. “All three of us handled it differently,” he said. Littrell talked about how, after the war, he stayed in the military training new troops. He said he was able to handle the stress of his experiences by spending time with fellow senior noncommissioned officers at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. Not that he didn’t have moments of upset. There was a “challenging situation at the airport in San Francisco,” Littrell said. “I enjoyed the hell out of that. Gave a guy jelly knees for about 10 minutes. And I had a little cousin with mouth issues. I taught him how to breathe through his ears for about five minutes while he was facedown in a bowl of mashed potatoes. Other than that, I had a beautiful welcome home.” The same could not be said for the other two medal recipients in the White House that day. During the siege at Dak Seang Camp, Beikirch was shot in the back but refused to be evacuated because he was a medic. “They literally carried him foxhole to foxhole while he administered first aid,” Littrell said.


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Beikirch had trouble adjusting at home, dropped out of college and went on to live in a cave in a New York state nature preserve, Littrell said, until he met a woman with problems of her own who eventually moved into the cave with him. They emerged and went on to become counselors, helping others, and he remains Littrell’s best friend. Kays wasn’t as fortunate. A member of the storied 101st Airborne Division, Kays was a medic and was wounded in the right leg, said Littrell, but instead of seeking help, he wrapped a tourniquet around the leg and kept tending to the wounded. The tourniquet was so tight, and on so long, that Kays eventually lost his leg. When Kays got home, he had trouble coping, Littrell said, and moved in with his mother, where he “grew what he needed for health and smoked an awful lot of it.” Kays showed up for the medal ceremony with long hair and a beard, Littrell said, and was told to cut his hair, shave his beard and wear a uniform. He refused and became the only Medal of Honor recipient to receive the award in civilian clothes, Littrell said. The medal around Kays’ neck proved to be a millstone. “The medal probably killed him,” Littrell said. “He had a hard enough time adjusting, and now he can’t escape from anyone because he has the medal around his neck — a challenge he couldn’t live with,” Kays, said Littrell, “couldn’t stand the stress. Eventually, “Kenneth went out in the greenhouse, and he hung himself.” He used their stories to make a point to the crowd. “So three people, all subjected to basically the same thing, we coped with it differently. And that’s the moral of this story. Let me challenge everyone sitting here, especially my Vietnam brothers. Continue to do what you’ve always done. Look out for the man or the woman to your right and to the left. If you see them with problems, intervene.” Back to Top 2 - The Tullahoma News: DAR marks 50th year of Vietnam War’s end (5 April, 600 online visitors/day; Tullahoma, TN) The Tullahoma Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) joined the national organization on Tuesday, March 29 in what was billed as a special day of remembrance for veterans of the Vietnam War. Arranged locally by DAR Regent Ruby Luna and Sandy Sebren, chairman of the DAR Service for Veterans, the ceremony was the result of months of work in cooperation with the National


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DAR headquarters in Washington, D.C. and other organizations, according to Dixie Hickey with the Tullahoma Chapter of the DAR. According to Hickey, Luna and Sebren worked tirelessly with the national headquarters to arrange the event. Once it was in place, they worked with city officials to make the event a reality. On March 29, a special commemorative flag was presented to the city from the chapter, which then flew for three days at city hall. During the ceremony, which was attended by about 30 individuals, Mayor Lane Curlee recognized the chapter for organizing the event and issued a proclamation to that effect. Invitations from the chapter to join the event were extended to veterans groups in Middle Tennessee and to the general public. One group attending the event was the area American Legion Riders, a group of Vietnam War veterans and motorcycle enthusiasts consisting of Larry Kersey, Robert Beaver, Paul Gish Tom Hewell, Stephen R. Sember, Bernard Null, Bill Martin, Allan Odell and Rob Moreland. The event was co-sponsored by nearly 9,000 organizations across the country, the Veterans Administration and the Department of Defense (DOD). The date of March 29, 2016 was chosen as a day to express gratitude and support to Vietnam War veterans across the nation. It is the 50th anniversary of the last day American troops were on the ground in Vietnam. During the ceremony, Curlee presented Luna with the commemorative flag and a framed Commemorative Partner Certificate signed by President Barack Obama, which will hang at city hall. The certificate states that the Tullahoma DAR partnered with the DOD and Veterans Administration to fly a Vietnam War 50th anniversary flag at city hall. The flag will fly from March 29-31 each year for 13 years, representing each year of the Vietnam War. According to history.com, the Vietnam War was a long and costly armed conflict that pitted the communist regime of North Vietnam and its southern allies, known as the Viet Cong, against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The divisive war, increasingly unpopular at home, ended with the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 1973 and the unification of Vietnam under Communist control two years later. More than 3 million people, including 58,000 Americans, were killed in the conflict. A plaque at city hall honors those from Coffee County who lost their lives in Vietnam. Back to Top 6 April 1 - KRIS (NBC-6, Video): Vietnam Veterans honored for their sacrifice at VA (6 April, Jose Martinez, 152k online visitors/mo; Corpus Christi, TX)


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The Coastal Bend Veterans Administration held a special commemorative ceremony Wednesday for Vietnam veterans. Many Vietnam veterans have said they feel they never received the recognition they deserved when they came home. The VA agrees and that's why they held the vent at the Veterans Administration clinic on Enterprise Parkway. "To all of our viewers, I encourage that if you know a veteran, please thank them for their service, but more specifically, thank a Vietnam-era veteran if you know one," said Hugo Martinez, the Coastal Bend and Rio Grande Valley public information officer. "Ask them about their experiences and thank them and let them know that this country is very thankful for their services to our nation." Veterans who attended were also presented with commemorative pins. Back to Top 2 - Evanston Roundtable: Vietnam War Commemoration (6 April, 11k online visitors/mo; Evanston, IL) The Evanston Vet Center and the Evanston Public Library will jointly host a commemorative event to honor Vietnam War Veterans at 1 p.m. on April 16 at the Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense and thousands of other organizations across the country are joining together in the U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration to honor Vietnam Veterans throughout 2016, to mark the 50th anniversary of the final withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam. “Our Nation’s Vietnam War Commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor, and thank our Vietnam Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices during one of America’s longest wars,” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald said in a statement to kick off the VA’s participation. The joint event at the Evanston Public Library will feature speakers, including Cook County Commissioner and Veteran Larry Suffredin. Vietnam Veterans in attendance will be individually recognized with a commemorative pin. Refreshments will be provided. Back to Top 3 - Lynbrook Herald: Recalling Vietnam, Veterans gather for 50th anniversary (6 April, Stephany Reyes, 2k online visitors/day; Garden City, NY) A cold, heavy rain couldn’t stop hundreds of veterans and supporters from gathering on April 2 at the Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale to remember the Vietnam War five decades earlier.


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Hostilities between the U.S. and North Vietnam erupted in 1965 when the National Liberation Front attacked an American base in South Vietnam, and retaliatory strikes were ordered. The conflict lasted 10 years. More than 58,000 Americans lost their lives, with nearly 41,000 killed in action, according to the National Archives. The special ceremony celebrated all Vietnam veterans, including those who remain registered as missing in action and prisoners of war. Pat Yngstrom, of North Merrick, the current North Bellmore Post 1749 commander, was a keynote speaker at Saturday’s ceremony. He addressed the crowd of veterans in uniform and thanked them for their service. He stressed the importance of getting tested for Vietnam era diseases and urged more research into the possible health effects of Agent Orange. Yngstrom, a sergeant in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division, was diagnosed with diabetes after serving in Vietnam from 1970 to 1973. “I’m the only one in my family who has diabetes right now,” Yngstrom said. “It’s the Agent Orange. It was used so much during my time in the war that I’m not surprised that all these veterans are getting diagnosed with diseases that don’t run in their family. I was surprised from my diagnosis, but it makes sense now.” According to the federal Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. military sprayed millions of gallons of the potentially cancer-causing herbicide to defoliate Vietnamese jungles and keep enemy forces from hiding in the brush. Fifty years later, the department states, concerns about the health effects of Agent Orange are intensifying, with thousands of Vietnam veterans diagnosed with aliments ranging from Hodgkin’s and Parkinson’s disease to diabetes. Frank Colon, president of Long Island National Cemetery Committee, a past Nassau County American Legion Post commander and a past North Bellmore Post 1749 commander, said Saturday’s ceremony commemorated the bravery and sacrifices of all veterans who served in Vietnam. “It’s a recognition of the men and women who gave up their lives during the Vietnam War,” he said. “It’s also to celebrate the men and women that are still alive today. Out of 3 million in-country Vietnam War soldiers, as of today, there’s only less than 800,000 Vietnam vets left. More Vietnam vets are dying than World War II or Korean War vets.” Colon said he believes many of the health issues that Vietnam War veterans face today are due, in large part, to Agent Orange. Yngstrom, who was a paratrooper, said he took part in a top-secret mission in Cambodia, for which he was ordered not to wear his dog tags. “If we died, we wouldn’t have gotten identified,” he said. “We got dropped in to do our mission, and then we got extracted a while later.” Yngstrom still cannot talk about the specifics of his mission. He can only say that he was injured. “I jumped off the helicopter about 35 feet from the ground, and I broke my leg,” he said. “I spent eight weeks in a [Mobile Army Surgical Hospital]. I got up and went right back into the battlefield.” After his discharge in 1973, Yngstrom said, he felt the backlash against the war back home. “I got off the plane — I don’t really know how I was expecting people to receive us — but once I got off the plane, a young lady came up to me, spat in my face and called me a baby killer,” he said.


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From then on, Yngstrom had trouble adjusting to civilian life. “I went on three job interviews, and each time they asked me if I was a veteran, and I very proudly said ‘yes,’” he recalled. “The companies I applied [to] said they wouldn’t hire a murderer, so after that I said ‘no’ when they asked if I was a veteran.” Yngstrom suffered a stroke in 1986, when he was 37. “My doctor told me I had to talk about my time in the military, or else I wasn’t going to live long enough to walk my daughter down the aisle,” he said. So he began talking about his time overseas. “Five years ago, I walked my daughter, Dawn, down the aisle,” he said. Now, Yngstrom said, he unconditionally supports all veterans. “I want to be there for them and show them that there are so many people who care and worry and thank them for their sacrifices,” he said. “To all young veterans, it is never too late to seek help. It won’t come to you; you have to seek it.” At the ceremony, he said he is proud to be a veteran. “I wouldn’t trade any of my experiences for anything in the world,” he said. Craig Arsell, Long Island National Cemetery assistant director, said he was moved by the ceremony. “We had our doubts initially because of the weather; however, it’s just amazing how this community came together to celebrate these veterans,” he said. “It’s spectacular. Everything was just so moving.” Back to Top 7 April 1 - Valley Morning Star: Thank you: Honoring Valley’s Vietnam Veterans (7 April, 4k online visitors/day; Harlingen, TX) The VA clinic here held a ceremony yesterday commemorating Vietnam War veterans. The main lobby was filled to capacity with veterans, family members and friends. Veterans received a Vietnam veteran commemorative lapel pin during a pinning ceremony. The lapel pin was presented to them to recognize and honor them for serving during the Vietnam War. A 21-gun salute was given and Taps was played during the ceremony. “The VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System, Corpus Christi VA Clinics, will host a solemn ceremony in recognition of the Vietnam Era veterans,” the VA said in a statement announcing the event.


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“Our nation’s Vietnam War commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor and thank our Vietnam Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices during one of America’s longest wars.” Back to Top 2 - Valley Morning Star: Vietnam vets honored at ceremony (7 April, 4k online visitors/day; Harlingen, TX) The Harlingen Veterans Affairs clinic held a Vietnam Veterans commemorative ceremony this morning at the VA Health Care Center. Many veterans and their families were on hand for the ceremony. It is a “solemn ceremony in recognition of the Vietnam Era Veterans. Our nation’s Vietnam War Commemoration is a long-overdue opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor and thank our Vietnam Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices during one of America’s longest wars.” Back to Top 3 - Evanston Now: EPL to host Vietnam vets 50th anniversary event (7 April, Bill Smith, 1k online visitors/day; Evanston, IL) The Evanston Vet Center and the Evanston Public Library will host a 50th commemorative event to honor Vietnam War Veterans at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 16, at the library, 1703 Orrington Ave. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense and thousands of other organizations across the country are joining together in the U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration to honor Vietnam Veterans throughout 2016, to mark the 50th anniversary of the final withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam. The event will feature speakers, including Cook County Commissioner and Veteran Larry Suffredin. Vietnam Veterans in attendance will be individually recognized with a commemorative pin. Refreshments will be provided. Back to Top 8 April 1 - FOX News (Video): Report: VA bosses in 7 states manipulated vets' wait times (8 April, 23M online visitors/mo; New York, NY)


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In this four-minute video, Pete Hegseth interviews CVA’s Dan Caldwell on VA wait lists, accountability, and proposed legislation in Congress. Back to Top 2 - Newton Citizen: Local Vietnam veterans honored for service to country (8 April, Wade Marbaugh, 27k online visitors/mo; Conyers, GA) Covington resident Edward Foster has a youthful countenance for a Vietnam War veteran, but the former Air Force sergeant was present with 31 other aging veterans of that war Thursday in Conyers at a ceremony honoring them for their service to their country. Mike Roby, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Veterans Services, presented certificates to the veterans in the J.P. Carr Complex, which houses the district field office that serves the area’s veterans. Gov. Nathan Deal initiated the Vietnam Veteran Certificate of Honor Program with a proclamation a year ago, and since then Roby and Brian Zeringue, projects manager for veterans service, have held more than 165 similar ceremonies across the state, handing out nearly 11,000 certificates to Vietnam veterans. Each veteran also received a U.S. Defense Department commemorative Vietnam veteran lapel pin. Among the veterans present, the sentiment seemed to be appreciation to be appreciated for their service. “I’m very grateful to be honored by this ceremony,” Foster said. “We went through a lot in that war and back at home. It’s good to be appreciated.” Saying he is a “statistics guy” in welcoming the audience — which included wives and children — Zeringue rattled off some numbers from the war era. Approximately 228,000 Georgians served in the war, 8,500 were wounded and 1,584 died. An estimated 234,000 Vietnam veterans currently live in Georgia. Zeringue said 21 ex-prisoners-of-war were honored last fall at the State Capitol. “That’s why we’re here — not only to honor those, but to honor you,” Zeringue said. Zeringue extended credit for the certificate campaign to Vietnam veteran Tommy Clack, who chairs the board of directors of the Walk of Heroes/Veterans War Memorial. “He has been an activist for Vietnam veterans since the day I met him,” Zeringue said. “This certificate, honestly, is a result of this gentleman right here.” Each certificate is personalized with the Vietnam War veteran’s name, rank, branch of service, dates of service and signatures by Roby and Gov. Deal. Roby opened his comments with a joke — five airmen were going down in an airplane, but there were only four parachutes. Three higher ranking officers said they were too important to die, grabbed parachutes and jumped off the plane, including a general who said, “I’m a general I’m too smart to die.”


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The remaining sergeant and private, looked at each other, Roby said. The private said, “Don’t worry, Sarge, that smart general grabbed my gunny sack. We’ve got two ‘chutes. Let’s jump.” After the laughter subsided, Roby said that the certificate program is being conducted in conjunction with the state’s 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Vietnam War. He said that Vietnam War veterans were never properly thanked for their service “during a tumultuous time in this country.” ““We hope to eventually present every Georgia Vietnam veteran with a Certificate of Honor recognizing their service,” Roby said. “It is never the wrong time to say thank you to a veteran, and that is especially true for so many Vietnam veterans who were never properly thanked when they returned home.” George Canavaggio, assistant commissioner of the veterans service department, read Gov. Deal’s proclamation during the ceremony, which included a tribute to the Conyers veterans field service officer, Janice Mohr. Mohr is taking a position with the Veterans Affairs Office in Atlanta, and Zeringue introduced Horace Campbell, who will assume Mohr’s position in the local office. Vietnam veterans can apply for a Certificate of Honor by emailing name, rank, branch of service, dates of service, and a copy of your DD Form 214 to [email protected] or mailing that information to Georgia Department of Veterans Service, Attn: Certificates, 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive SE, Atlanta, GA 30334. Or call 404-463-3080 for more information. Back to Top 3 - Sun Focus: Vietnam veterans honored in New Brighton (8 April, Kassie Petermann, 3k online visitors/day; Osseo, MN) Vietnam veterans were honored during a welcome home ceremony in New Brighton on March 29. Across the United States last Tuesday, veterans who served during the Vietnam War were recognized. All Vet Centers were part of the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War. The St. Paul Veterans Resource Center, located at 550 County Road D in New Brighton, hosted a ceremony outside the adjacent Perkins Restaurant. The center provides counseling and readjustment services to combat vets, individuals, groups and couples. The March 29 community event included a flag raising, the national anthem and a speech by Bryan Bodrog, a counselor at the St. Paul Veterans Resource Center and an Iraq War veteran. “As we observe the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, we reflect with solemn reverence upon the valor of a generation that served with honor,” Bodrog said. “We pay tribute to the more than 3 million servicemen and women who left their families to serve bravely a world away from everything they knew and everyone they loved. …


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“In recognition of a chapter of our nation’s history that must never be forgotten, let us renew our sacred commitment to those who answered our country’s call in Vietnam and those who awaited their safe return.” Bodrog acknowledged Vietnam women veterans, who are often times not mentioned, he said. It’s estimated that almost 7,500 women served in the Vietnam War. The Vietnam veterans in attendance received Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins that recognize, thank and honor United States military veterans who served during the war. The commemorative events on March 29 were part of a 13-year 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War, which began on Memorial Day 2012 and extends through Veterans Day 2025. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 9 million Americans served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War, and approximately 7 million are living today. Back to Top 11 April 1 - Villages-News.com: Members of Puc Puggy Chapter NSDAR observe anniversary of end of Vietnam War (11 April, 14k online visitors/day; The Villages, FL) Members of the Puc Puggy Chapter NSDAR recently participated in two different events that were in commemoration of the end of the Vietnam War. The Puc Puggy Chapter NSDAR is a member of the Commemorative Partners Program established by the Department of Defense to honor those who served during the Vietnam war. The chapter’s Vietnam Partnership Flag flew over Veterans Park on March 29 and 30 to honor the veterans and to call attention to the end of the Vietnam War. Puc Puggy members observed the end of the Vietnam War when the last troops were removed from Vietnam by handing out cards and stars from a flag while thanking the veterans for their service. This took place at the Veterans Administration Clinic in the Mulberry Grove section of The Villages. Back to Top 13 April 1 - Rapid City Journal: Disabled American Veterans State Convention starts Friday (13 April, 129k online visitors/mo; Rapid City, SD) Members of the Disabled American Veterans from South Dakota will gather here starting Friday for their 77th annual department convention at the Rushmore Hotel and Suites, 445 Mount Rushmore Road.


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More than 100 DAV members, many of them disabled veterans of the Korean, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars, are expected to attend the convention, which ends Sunday. All veterans are invited to a Veterans Town Hall Meeting at 3 p.m. Friday to question congressional staff members, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs officials and the secretary for the South Dakota Department of Veteran Affairs. Vietnam era veterans who are members of the DAV will be recognized for their service and sacrifice as a part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, according to a press release. The highlight will be a banquet at 7 p.m. Saturday. Featured speakers will be DAV National Inspector General Edward E. Hartman and DAV Auxiliary National 2nd Jr. Vice Commander Ellen L. Timmerman. Election of new DAV state-level officers for the coming year will be on Sunday. Back to Top 2 - KIII (ABC-3): Vietnam Era Veterans Commemorative Ceremony (13 April, 113k online visitors/mo; Corpus Christi, TX) CORPUS CHRISTI - The Veterans Affairs Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System partnered with the Corpus Christi VA Clinics to honor Vietnam veterans for their service during the 50th anniversary of the war. The formal ceremony included a presentation of collars to veterans and a special thank you from keynote speakers. Commemorative pins were handed out at Wednesday's ceremony specially created to express gratitude to all Vietnam veterans, including one of the first women to serve in the Marine Corps. The ceremony was the second of four happening throughout the nation honoring Vietnam veterans of all branches. Back to Top

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