Today is Vietnam Veterans' Day

To all you Vietnam Veterans out there, you have my deepest, heartfelt thanks or all you did, all you survived and for all you are still going through today. 

From The Veterans Site (https://blog.theveteranssite.greatergood.com/vietnam-vets-day/?utm_source=ggn-crosspost&utm_medium=social-fb&utm_content=link&utm_campaign=vietnam-vets-day&utm_term=7097396&fbclid=IwAR22bqhEgFWYiZSwCF6exV8seTb2AU_Liy5dTXggq5nj0TbMJtuRbHS-0JQ)

March 29th, the nation will quietly celebrate National Vietnam Veterans Day, but most of the nation may not even know that fact. After all, it is a new idea and it is not one of the big national holidays like Memorial Day or Veterans Day with a three-day weekend attached to it.

We Vietnam veterans are honored that such a day has been set aside. Though it may go unnoticed by most, that makes little difference to we who served in Vietnam. We know who we are. We remember only too well those we served with and those who did not come home with us.

We are proud of our service and of our brotherhood.

These 5 decades later, there is no need for commentary, one way or the other. We have heard all of it, absorbed it, and survived it, and moved on from it. Besides, such musings are moot. History has already left the divisions and the underlying pro or con feelings about our war far behind.

PLEASE Thank Vietnam Vets when ever you see them

Published on Nov 8, 2016
The short documentary film, I Will Go Back Tonight investigates the long-term effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder on marital relationships of Vietnam veterans from the United States Army 5th Infantry Unit, the "bobcats".

Created by Kara Frame, daughter of a Vietnam Vet

The short documentary film, I Will Go Back Tonight investigates the long-term effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder on marital relationships of Vietnam veterans from the United States Army 5th Infantry Unit, the "bobcats".

PTSD and Vietnam Veterans

From Smithsonian.com Iver 250,000 Veterans of the Vietnam War STILL have PTSD 40 years later


According to the article, PTSD may be a relatively recent psychological concept, but historians are exploring its impact on soldiers from the American Civil War and even back to ancient Assyria circa 1300 B.C. Clinical symptoms include reliving events through nightmares or flashbacks, avoiding people or situations that might be reminders of traumatic events, negative changes in feelings toward oneself and others and a state of hyperarousal that makes it hard to concentrate or sleep and includes a common feeling of imminent danger.


These veterans, who are now in their mid- to late-60s and still really want to tell their story,” says Marmar (study author Charles Marmar, director of The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center at the NYU Langone Medical Center.

“There is something very powerful in the social fabric of the American experience about Vietnam and how controversial Vietnam was, and maybe for these veterans the fact that many of them were unwelcome when they returned. For them it's very important to be able to tell their story now.”

To read some Vietnam Veterans' experiences, go to this website.
Thank a Veteran every day.

Memorial Day Thanks

Finally

Vietnam veterans were stereotyped and demonized to such a great extent that even the widows of deceased servicemen received late-night harassing phone calls. It has been said by some that at no point in our country's history have our veterans been hurt more by our own countrymen than by the enemy. For many vets, the homecoming was often a powerful first encounter that made their adjustment to civilian society more difficult. This is the story of a Kentucky base that felt it was time to give these veterans the welcome home they never received. Produced, shot and edited by Dave Annarino.

From The Veterans' Site blog

Vietnam Veterans

To all of you who served in Vietnam and your families, thank you.