National Vietnam War Veterans Day
Last Sunday, March 29, 2020, was the national day of recognition for Vietnam War Veterans. In the current environment, civilians often thank Veterans from all conflicts for their service when they see a hat or a shirt proclaiming the Veteran’s involvement, sometimes buying their meal or giving them small gifts. The fact that former Military Members from the Vietnam era feel comfortable wearing these items shows that times have indeed changed.
This was a generation of soldiers who returned from Vietnam to protests and if they were lucky, only to jeers from their peer group. Many were spat upon or called names at the airports when they disembarked wearing their uniforms, as required by the military for travel between countries. One Army private was lucky enough to be routed from Vietnam to Alaska, where he changed into civilian clothing, and then entered the mainland U.S. unidentifiable as a Military Member. He remembers feeling relieved to miss the attacks, but also guilty to avoid them, as so many of his brothers could not. He still feels split over that feeling today but is overjoyed by the recognition he and others now receive from the public. Veterans from the Vietnam War today are honored no differently now than Veterans of the Korean War or First Gulf War, or the War on Terror. They receive nods and murmured thank yous, get heartfelt conversations about family members who served in their conflict, and are invited to Veterans’ events to be acknowledged.
The Veterans Land Board salutes these Members of the Military, who were not given their just attention at the time, and hopes that the belated accolades are enough, as the Vietnam War Veterans, like all Veterans, served this country with honor.
