Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day

Tom Cole - Stories from the War in Vietnam

Many people feel that it's the politicians or protesters of war who hate war the most. This, even though the vast majority of them have never experienced war firsthand. This is SO not true. It is the warriors who hate war most, for they have experienced it, seen it, smelled it, tasted it and hopefully lived through it.

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March 29th we celebrate Vietnam Veteran Recognition Day recognizing those who served in and during the Vietnam War. At VFW Post 3513, Scottsdale, there will be a celebration on April 30th. I like to think of us not just as Boomers, but as the John Wayne generation; those young people who were still selfless enough to volunteer for our nation's needs.

War is a horror that brutalizes those who participate in it. Many are killed or wounded, but for many who survive, it is the wounds that don't show or the wounds that surface later as we age that are the most harmful, the most hurtful.

When we returned from the Vietnam War, many shattered and broken, we were received with a less-than-welcoming response. Instead of the love, respect and adoration we were hoping for, many of us were cursed, abused and spit upon for serving our country. We were the accessible embodiment of what people saw as an unpopular war. So, instead of abusing the elected politicians who sent us to war, they abused us who served because we were standing in front of them.

On January 29, 1973 the United States combat forces departed Vietnam when the peace accord was signed. The military had already won the war, but the politicians signed anyway.

To add further insult to injury, in 1975 our Democrat politicians, who in reality are the ones who lost the Vietnam War for America, reneged on their promise to help the South Vietnamese if the North attacked them again, resulting in North Vietnam overrunning the South. This lack of support caused an estimated 3.8 million South Vietnamese to be murdered, the country of South Vietnam to disappear, and the veterans who had served left wondering what the hell they had served for.

Today we honor those staunch, brave Veterans of the Vietnam War. All of them who served in that war and those who served from afar. I'm telling you now, you did not serve for nothing. Many who served during that time did not participate actively in the war inside that country, but did provide much needed support in other ways to those of us who were sent and were actually and actively "in-country" - those of us who felt the burning intensity of war and experienced the anguishing sting of great loss.

To all of my brothers and sisters who participated in the Vietnam War, I give you my love, loyalty and respect for the rest of what I hope will be for all of us a peaceful life. God bless each and every one of you. And from my heart, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND WELCOME HOME.