In Washington D.C., we have many national treasures to be viewed and remembered with respect and pride. But, these treasures are insignificant compared to the treasures scattered all over the entire country. I am, of course, referring to our Viet Nam Veterans who all are amongst some of our most prized inheritances.
Many people today weren’t around when those same veterans returned back stateside from their tours, and were scorned, derided and despised for their adhering to duty. It is probably not realized that the majority of our VFW members are Viet Nam Veterans and even though they weren’t welcomed home as the heroes they are, they are continually continuing the fight for all Veterans rights, especially in Washington D.C.
Getting to know the VFW members, despite the myths of broken down veterans who were irreparably harmed by their service, one finds they are stronger because of their service. They did not let the disdain of the country at that time deter them from continuing to honor their oaths to defend the U.S. The majority of these people are productive citizens who love this country and like the many veterans before them, are committed to serving their families, communities and fellow veterans.
The month of January sees the VFW observing the 50th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords signing which was the formal ending of the Viet Nam war for America. Many of our military personnel felt we were wrong to leave the country with the job unfinished and were unhappy about the fact politicians ran the war, rather than the experienced officers of the military who would have been able to guide us better and help us win.
The Viet Nam war has a monument which travels across the country. It is an impressive national treasure and now has the faces of the names’ photos found for every person ”On the wall”. It was a huge undertaking, but something needed to be done to thank those Veterans who were never actually welcomed home. Here at the Lehigh Acres VFW, we try to let our veterans know in many different ways we appreciate what they have done and want to continue to thank them.
