|
STILL SERVING
What a wonderful job Marsha Four did in the two-page article
in the November/December issue about the Women In Military
Service For America’s 10th anniversary. The pictures
are superb and your selection of pictures of the individual
women was great because you covered all bases by service
and ethnically.
This just adds another star in Marsha’s
crown for her support of the entire three days and in getting
VVA support. We’re proud to have her as part of our
team. This was but one more example of the support she’s
always provided.
Wilma L. Vaught, Brig General, USAF Ret., President, WIMSA
AO:
FROM THE BEGINNING
Thanks for the great report from Betty Mekdeci, “Agent
Orange and Birth Defects,” in the November/December
issue. But I have a correction. The article states that it’s
been 35 years since Agent Orange was first sprayed in Vietnam.
That’s not true: It was sprayed more than 41 years
ago. We were sprayed in 1966 and 1967.
Ed LaVenture Menomonie,
Wisconsin
In fact, Operation Ranch Hand started even earlier
than that—in
1962. –Ed.
BONUS COVERAGE
The coverage of the 25th anniversary of The Wall in the November/December
issue was terrific. I wasn’t able to attend the event,
but some of my fellow veterans did and brought me some memorabilia.
The cover photo is wonderful, as well as the other photos.
I also want to thank Marsha Four for her article, “On
The Edge of Change,” and I want to thank all women
Vietnam veterans.
I am an Era vet, so I didn’t serve
in Vietnam and wouldn’t
have met any of these ladies. I can, though, pay my respects
to them. That goes for all the women who served in all branches
of the service during all wars. The faces in the pictures
accompanying the article are beautiful and reflect the strength,
wisdom, and dedication of these ladies. I salute all of them.
Also, I was unaware of Arlo Guthrie’s support of Vietnam
veterans and all the charitable work he does. A bonus.
Richard
Simmons, Chicago
BUSH ON VETERANS
I read with interest the comments made by President Bush
in the Government Affairs column in the November/December
issue.
Bush acknowledged that there were “serious problems
caused by bureaucratic delays and administrative failures.
And we’re not going to let those problems continue.”
Well,
President Bush made a host of promises to the military and
veterans in his campaign letter of September 13, 2000. He
said, “Soldiers once ordered to stand in the line
of fire should not now be ordered to stand in line at the
nearest federal bureaucracy, waiting with hat in hand.” He
called for an “immediate, comprehensive review of our
military” and “a thorough review of our military
health care programs.” Further, he said, “our
government should honor the health care commitment made to
the men and women who have served and are now serving honorably
in our military.”
Time is running out for our President
to make good on his word.
Matthew C. Ford, Jr. Washington,
New Jersey
PROTEST OR TREASON
I read a recent article about a Westboro, Kansas, Baptist
Church protest group that picketed the funeral of Lance Cpl.
Matthew Snyder, a Marine killed in Iraq. These protesters
carried signs saying “Thank God for dead soldiers,” and
claimed it was their constitutional right to protest. Evidently,
their church doesn’t teach anything about respect of
others’ feelings, or compassion for their fellow man.
I also would like to know where in the Constitution it says
this type of behavior is granted.
Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder’s
father took the protesters to court, and won an $11 million
judgment against the church. He said his reason for taking
court action was not the money, but so other victims would
have the opportunity to win judgments against this type of
improper protest.
I didn’t think anyone who calls himself
a Christian would commit such a despicable, ignorant act.
Shame on them. Their actions border on treason.
Lance Cpl. Snyder is a hero and a son of liberty. He and
his family are owed more than can be imagined.
William T.
Bradley Adams, Massachusetts
HELP A VET
I have been a member of Vietnam Veterans of America for many
years. I worked hard setting up and selling and packing up
at festivals and trying to promote the VVA chapter I was
in. I was also a longstanding member of the VFW and the American
Legion.
In 2005, I was diagnosed with stage-three colon cancer
that spread to my lymph nodes and liver. I lost my job
of twenty-one years as a correctional officer and a good
paycheck, and have not been able to work since, after surgery
and twelve chemo treatments.
Only one person came to see
me from the VFW. No members called to check on me. Only one
member from the VVA chapter came to see me and one called.
I was sick and had no job; my wife was sick also. Maybe I
have the wrong impression of what veterans’ organizations
do. I thought they were there to help veterans in need.
I
have spent the last two years at home with no contact from
my fellow veterans, except two. It sure is lonely at the
bottom.
Larry K. Barnes Cordele, Georgia
|
Donate
©2006-
2008, Vietnam Veterans of America. All Rights Reserved. 8605 Cameron
Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910 
