Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 . __ . . -*- N A M V E T -*- ____/ \_ . . ( * \ . . G. Joseph Peck \ Quangtri . . Managing Editor \_/\ \_ Hue . . \_Ashau Phu Bai . . Todd C. Looney - Chief, Emeritus \_* \_ . . \ * ) . . Jerry Hindle _/ Danang . . Distribution Manager ( \_*Chu Lai . . \_ ------- \__ . . Section Editors \_ I Corps \ . . --------------- \ ------- ! . . PTSD: Kathleen Kelly, Ph.D. /\_____ ! . . AGENT ORANGE: Martin H. Kroll, Sr. / ! \ . . MIA-POW: Rick Stolz ! !___ \ . . Glenn Toothman ! \/\____! . . HOMELESSNESS: Lefty Frizzell ! ! . . FEDERAL BENEFITS: Jim Hildwine / Dak To ! . . INCARCERATED VETS: Todd C. Looney / * / . . Joyce Flory ! \_ . . MEMORIALS: Aaron Schmiedel ! Phu Cat\ . . MEMORIES: G. Joseph Peck \ * * ) . . IN-TOUCH: Ray "Frenchy" Moreau \ Pleiku ) . . CHAPLAIN: Rev. Ed Brant \ \ . . -**- N A M V E T -**- / / . . "In the jungles of 'Nam, some of us ( -------- ! . . were scared and wary, but we pulled _\ II Corps ! . . one another along and were able / -------- \ . . to depend on each other. That has \ \ . . never changed. Today, free of the ! * / . . criticisms and misunderstandings _/ Nhatrang / . . many veterans have endured, _/ / . . NAM VET is a shining beacon, __/ ! . . a ray of hope, and a _ __/ \ ! . . reminder that the _____( )/ ! Camranh Bay . . lessons learned / !__ ! . . at such a high / \ / . . price shall not \ Bien Hoa \ / . . be forgotten - ! Chu Chi * \ __/ . . nor the errors \_ * --------- \ ___/ . . repeated!!!" ____ \ III Corps \ _/ . . / \_____) )_(_ --------- !__/ Duplication in . . ! ( ___/ any form permitted . . _____! \__ * ___/ for NONCOMMERCIAL . . ! Saigon/ purposes ONLY! . . \___ -------- / \/ . . \ IV Corps / For other use, contact: . . ) -------- / G. Joseph Peck, Managing Editor . . / ! P O Box 2056 Pittsfield, MA 01202 . . / ____/ (413) 442-1660 . . / Mekong/ . . ! Delta/ This newsletter is comprised of articles . . ! ____/ and items from individuals and other . . ! / sources. We are not responsible for the . . ! / content of this information nor are any of . . ! __/ NAM VETs contributors or Section Editors. . . \_/ gjp . . . NAM VET Newsletter Page i Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 ================================================================== T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S 1. EDITORIALS Time ..................................................... 1 Valhalla Update .......................................... 4 A visit or note once in awhile? .......................... 5 Only the beginning ....................................... 6 2. Agent Orange American Legion Responds to NamVet's AO Section Editor ... 9 Two American Legion's??? ................................. 13 Break out the Clearsil ! ............................. 17 Vet hopes VA decision helps .............................. 18 The Battle Rages On... ................................... 20 3. Veteran Benefits & Info VA looks at choice meat in federal pork barrel ........... 23 VA Sec. Derwinski Featured at Public Service Awards ...... 25 VA Video Promotes Understanding of AIDS .................. 26 Ask the DVA Counselor .................................... 27 Project Transition ....................................... 28 4. Missing!!! MIA-POW News & Updates ................................... 34 MIA/POW Postage Stamp? ................................... 37 They haven't forgutten US!!! ............................. 39 MIA: Richard Michael Allard .............................. 40 MIA: Daniel Vernor Borah, Jr. ............................ 42 MIA: Albert Pitt ......................................... 43 MIA: Henry Muir Serex .................................... 45 MIA-POW Listings CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA .................. 48 5. Memories n' Special Articles Vet Feels a Monument's Embrace ........................... 53 Two Sons Lost To Vietnam ................................. 57 Marine Receives Bronze - 21 years late! .................. 59 Units in 'Nam??? ......................................... 60 6. When the Chaplain whispers... Proper Perspective!! ..................................... 66 The Electronic Chapel .................................... 67 A Pastoral Response to troubled Viet Vets ................ 68 7. Hearts & Minds Veterans for Peace and Nicaraguan Election ............... 77 Shave my head? Live with Men? Where do I sign? ......... 79 VA Expands PTSD Treatment Sites .......................... 80 8. Notices of Interest Vet does Army CV-2 / USAF C-7 Caribou Research ........... 81 9. In-Touch - New Service!!! In-Touch: What is it??? .................................. 83 IN-TOUCH Registration/Request Form!!! .................... 86 10. Concentrated Service Veteran Service Commissioners/Directors .................. 88 Concentrated Service ..................................... 90 USPO Replies to Congressman ...... 91 Asst Postmaster General Writes to Congressman re: Vet .... 93 Vet says, "Thanks, but no thanks." ....................... 94 Vet explains WHY, "Thanks, but no thanks." ............... 96 Congressman Acknowledges Receipt of Letters .............. 99 The US Postal Service begins to act! ..................... 100 IVVEC/NamVet USPO & Vet Service Summary .................. 101 11. IVVEC & NamVet - WHERE? NamVet Roll Call ......................................... 103 Parameters of IVVEC and NODELIST ......................... 105 Some Gave All... ......................................... 110 NAM VET Newsletter Page ii Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 ================================================================== E D I T O R I A L S ================================================================== TIME By: G. Joseph Peck NAM VETs Managing Editor VETLink #1 - Pittsfield, MA (413) 443-6313 Now that all of the articles many of you submitted have been questioned , formatted, and fine-tuned to fit within the pages and margins of NamVet, its time for ME to write my editorial. I like to write and I can remember "way back when" NamVet first started (Veterans' Day, 1987) I had TIME then to write, TIME to climb into the hearts and souls of the characters I was attempting to tell each of you about, TIME to illustrate the up's and down's of today's Vietnam veteran. TIME, now, is so crammed with all the other things I've gotten myself into.... I'm looking at TIME today with a grateful, yet sad, mistiness. Look BACK, brothers n' sisters, and you'll see a time when so many of us, KNOWING that we were doing the right thing, followed the generations of soldiers and helpers who went before us and stood proudly in Uncle Sam's uniform... Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Merchant Marines, Coast Guard, USO, Red Cross, Civilian duty of one form or another. THAT was a time when we looked FORWARD and saw duty, challenge, and opportunity to be at our best. Many of us saw other countries , got the chance to learn about other cultures, other ways of living/existing. The wealth of experiences gained sat dormant for a bit whilst our beautiful America reconciled herself with the young men and women she sent off to battle, tried to deal with protesters, draft dodgers and evaders, student unrest, apathy, and severe criticism. Our America, with a little prodding , searched for the balance between what she THOUGHT was right and what her inhabitants came to think was correct. Many of us returned to civilian life and were expected to pick up where we'd left off as if nothing had happened in our absence. Others returned and were shunned, rejected, ignored. Each of us had to find our own way if we were to continue to survive. Sadly, some of us didn't. Others, only half-way or less. Move forward a little in TIME, and you'll see many concerned veterans appear on the American scene. Remember when the veterans camped out on the grounds of a California VA Medical Center? Or one drove his car into the front entrance of a VA hospital? Remember when then-VVAW member, now U.S. Senator John Kerry, like so many, disgustedly threw his war medals on the steps of the NAM VET Newsletter Page 1 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 National Capital? Remember when the last chopper left 'Nam? America was beginning to be concerned. Her Vietnam veterans were beginning to unite in a common effort to see that she honored the promises she made when they proudly served her. The Disabled American Veterans and Dr. John S. Wilson patiently, carefully, methodically moved forward and produced THE FORGOTTEN WARRIOR PROJECT which was the impetus for today's storefront Vet Centers. You and I and many like us, knowing that "if we poke holes in our lifeboat, we're all gonna sink," began to find areas of common agreement and purpose, began to concentrate and focus our energies towards finally making things right. 1986 brought with it Todd Looney's creation of the International Vietnam Veterans EchoConference (IVVEC) for computer-using Vietnam veterans, their friends, and those interested in/concerned about America's Vietnam veterans. March 13, 1987, operating on a Commodore 64 with two disk drives, VETLink #1 became a reality. Two weeks later, a PC was purchased and VETLink #1 became a FidoNet node and very shortly established a cross-country link with Todd Looney's Vietnam Veterans Valhalla. A few months later, the NamVet that you see today was born. Not having the in-country experience(s) so many of you have and not having the benefit of even being stationed outside of the U.S. while I was in the military but, after being thrown from a jeep travelling 55mph while on active duty, hitting the pavement head and elbow first, experiencing a near-month-long coma, being subsequently misdiagnosed and eventually honorably discharged, HAVING experienced many similar feelings of rejection, isolation, loneliness and loss that many of you have, I've been sincerely honored and terribly humbled to have a little something to do with both preparing and bringing your NamVet to you. (How's THAT for a freight-train sentence, teach???) TIME... Look at the time we've shared in the International Vietnam Veterans EchoConference and you'll miss the names that once used to be here, that once used to take an active, active part in sharing, advising, and just talkin'. You'll also see many of us who were originally here - many of us who know that all we need to is take the time to LISTEN and to help where we can, and we can put UNITY in our veteran commUNITY... You'll see a WELCOME HOME to our brothers and sisters who've just discovered us ... and a chance to grow -- past the yesterdays that caused so much pain; past the yesterdays where "loneliness" was the Order of the Day; past the yesterdays when you couldn't find the true friends, the ones who KNEW that when ya screwed up, the job wasn't permanent... THIS Memorial Day, after you've taken the time to solemnly remember those who paid the "ultimate price" for the freedom we today enjoy; after you remember the prices YOU'VE paid; after you've taken time to watch or take part in your local parades and listen to all the public speakers, take a little TIME to remember the 16 or 17 year old orphan whose father died of intestinal cancer after being sprayed with Agent Orange in 'Nam (and whose NAM VET Newsletter Page 2 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 family received/receives NO benefits from Uncle Sam) who said to your Managing Editor: "My father didn't fight in the war. He was a cook."; Take a little TIME to remember your unemployed or underemployed, your homeless, your incarcerated; your neighbor brother an' sister veterans and their families; a little TIME to remember that loving partner who shares your hopes and dreams... and, for those of you who have children, TIME to remember that YOU - what you've done and will do - will be part of the Memorial Days in THEIR future... After all... isn't that what Memorial Day is all about - TIME? 'til Next Month Show a brother or sister veteran that YOU care!!! Ci'ao for Ni'ao -Joe- NAM VET Newsletter Page 3 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Valhalla Update By: Todd Looney NAM VETs Chief, Emeritus Vietnam Veterans Valhalla - San Jose, CA (408) 737-2564 (Mail Only) Things have been changing with the Valhalla. During the last month we received approval and security clearances from both the County of Santa Clara and the City of San Jose to meet with incarcerated veterans at two of the county's minimum and maximum security correctional facilities for men, and are about to receive clearance for the women's facilities as well. We are very excited about this because currently the only resource incarcerated veterans have is to utilize a well-known national organization called "Friends on the Outside" (FO) to handle any affairs they might need taken care of. Although FO is adept at handling most anything the typical veteran might need (cashing paychecks, making court arrangements, paperwork, etc.) they are not versed in the veterans affairs and not familiar with the various organizations already set up to assist veterans. The services we are now extending to incarcerated veterans include setting up meetings with the American Legion, handling the various deluge of veteran-related paperwork involved in benefits for spouse and family, counseling through the VA and Vet Centers, Red Cross, etc. We have started working with FO in a strategic partnership-like arrangement wherein they call us in to handle veteran-related affairs and we call them in for the rest. All in all, the veterans in the local facilities are being taken care of at a much higher level than they were before. We are proud of this accomplishment and look forward to expanding before the end of this year to Solidad, San Quentin, and Folsom, and Vacaville Federal Correctional Facilities. We have plenty of volunteers to attend regular meetings with veterans in the local facilities right now, but could use some help in with the Federal facilities when we finalize our agreements with them. Anyone interested in helping can write for further information to: Vietnam Veterans Valhalla Incarcerated Veterans Program 1016 El Camino Real Suite 331 Sunnyvale, CA. 94087 ATTN: Jeanne Winfield At the home front, we have our new facility set up and operating, we are just waiting now for a PC to arrive so that we can connect up and get the Valhalla back up and running the way it was last year. This project has us all really excited because it has been *far* too long in the coming. Thank you all for your support and we look forward to expanding our services even further in the upcoming months. Keep looking out for more good news from the Valhalla! Todd Looney President, Vietnam Veterans Valhalla Sunnyvale, California NAM VET Newsletter Page 4 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX \ \ \ \ \XXXX XXXXX XXXXX.::::::::::::::.XXXXX INCARCERATED XXXX XXXXX XXXXX --------- XXXXX \ \ \ \ \ \ \XXXX XXXXX .XXXXX W W I I XXXXX. 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'.XXXX XXXXX :: XXXXX" ':.:'' XXXXX .'' .:::'XXXX XXXXX :: XXXXX:.. .:XXXXX.'' .::::' .XXXX XXXXX :: XXXXX '.. ..:' XXXXX ..:' . .:::'XXXX XXXXX ....::'XXXXX ':::::;' XXXXX .:''. .:::' XXXX XXXXX .:::::' XXXXX .: XXXXX :'. ..:... XXXX XXXXX.::' :: XXXXX: PREPARED TO XXXXX .'' ''.. XXXX XXXXX::' :: XXXXX`: FIGHT XXXXX.' '.XXXX XXXXX' :: XXXXX ``. XXXXX XXXX XXXXX '' XXXXX PREPARED TO XXXXX XXXX XXXXX :: XXXXX DIE ...'XXXXX XXXX XXXXX :: XXXXX `...' XXXXX XXXX XXXXX `..' XXXXX .' XXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXX /\ .' .' XXXX XXXXX /\ \ . . XXXX XXXXX / \ \...' `. .' XXXX XXXXX / NOT PREPARED TO BE DESERTED XXXX XXXXX / .'.' . .`.' XXXX XXXXX / ~ | : : : . XXXX XXXXX / |`. : : . .__________ XXXX XXXXX / ~ ~ ||.` ` : || \ / XXXX XXXXX / WRITE OR VISIT AN INCARCERATED VETERAN SOON ! XXXX XXXXX / ~ || . .'. / / XXXX XXXXX/ ~ ~ ~|| ||/ / XXXX XXXXX ~ ~ ~ || || / XXXX XXXXX || || / XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXX \_________XXXXX________|| XgjpX XXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXX NAM VET Newsletter Page 5 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Only the beginning.. By: Joyce Flory NAM VETs Incarcerated Veterans Section Editor Desert Dolphin BBS - Las Cruces, NM (505) 523-2811 Well folks it's been real busy around here since last month's posting!! I've gotten a couple of more addresses to write to and a bunch of responses. The new addresses were through Hugh Erwin (once on my incarcerated list - now on parole). They are Mary Moyer, VV Readjustment Counseling in Va., Jim Loughrey, National Program Dir. for Incarcerated Vets., Billy Borkman, Nottoway VVNW Post VAI 20, and Peggy Snow, counselor at Nottoway. I also have received word from George Hebert from VVA Chapter 294 AVIP, Ma. Here's my current list of Incarcerated Vet's. Please, let's start writing to these people. A lot of them are lonely and only have the other Vietnam Vets in their cell block to talk to. I have found that a majority of them would just like to know what it's like on the outside and would like to know what they can do, while in jail, to adjust for getting out. BUENA VISTA, COLORADO 81211: Whitmarsh Bailey #56715 Jerry Baack #57098 Chris S. Crespin #45523 Dennis E. Prentis #43497 P.O.Box R Buena Vista,Colo. 81211 COLUMBUS, GA 31907: Thomas Adams (don't write unless single female, he tells me) Donald E. Head Dwight L. Lyons Mamie Harris EG 172282 RCI Box 98409 Columbus,Ga. 31907 GARDNER, MA 01440: George Herbert (not a Nam Vet, but good people) Lance Koren Richard Ortiz Arthur Coy Tyrone Smith Kevin M. Pennell Robert Thompson Leslie Gomes Frank Komnenus P.O.Box 466 Gardner, Ma 01440 BURKEVILLE, VA 23922: Billy Borkman #125740 (not actively seeking pen-pal,but will answer) Nottoway Correctional P.O.Box 488 (0221) V Burton #108483 P.O.Box 488 (A-120) NAM VET Newsletter Page 6 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 M Davenport #155165 P.O.Box 488 (N-321) M Donati #150219 P.O.Box 488 (D-71) J Grace #136189 P.O.Box 488 (B-108) M Glennon #140901 (Non-vet that likes to write) P.O.Box 488 (O-101) J Heidinger #102513 P.O.Box 488 (O-421) C Ladison #138228 P.O.Box 488 (O-330) G Magno #112810 P.O.Box 488 (N-418) W Merriman #131789 P.O.Box 488 (A-66) L Rainsford #126380 P.O.Box 488 (B-108) A Shah # 101250 P.O.Box 488 (O-417) G Stovall Jr. #98899 P.O.Box 488 (O-328) R Sutton # 141041 P.O.Box 488 (O-317) Burkeville,Va. 23922 STATE FARM, VA 23160: Jamal R. Rashid #110781 Dorm D-2 Joseph Huggins #99433 " D-6 Preston Parker #118311 " D-5 William Moran #131271 " D-2 Le'roi Mason #104969 " D-5 David Bailey #153526 " D-2 Oliver Mayfield #106330 " HA John Harris #133342 " HA Robert Hall #148001 " HA James Moody #160399 " D-4 William Simmons #106399 " D-4 Charlie Sherman #128403 " D-6 Carlton Heflin #170297 " D-5 Matthew Sanders #166545 " D-4 Michael Kay #136567 " D-5 David Swink #157682 " D-6 Gordon Cawthron #135734 " D-6 Curtis Wright #125330 " HA Roger Baxter #157594 " D-2 Thomas Hawley #167124 " D-5 Luthee C Beasley #110375 " D-2 James River Corr. Ctr. State Farm, Va. 23160 I have also, at long last, heard from Albany. Sorry to say they can't do anything to help. In the form letter I received is the following: "Your desire to extend this service to include incarcerated veterans is admirable. However, the Department of Correctional Services Directive #4422 Section III B-13 prohibits all inmates from using their correspondence privileges to solicit or otherwise commercially advertise for money, services, or goods." What this has to do with pen-pals, I haven't the foggiest NAM VET Newsletter Page 7 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 notion. Through Billy Borkman, I may be getting a computer hookup with Jim Loughrey incarcerated sponsor to Nottoway & VVNW National headquarters. Will keep you posted on this in the future. Well, that's it from here for now. As I said it's been a busy but productive month for me. As always, if there's a group or organization you think I should contact, leave word on the Echo, send it to 305/105 or to me at 1825 Evelyn Las Cruces, NM 88001. NAM VET Newsletter Page 8 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 ================================================================== A g e n t O r a n g e ================================================================== Input by: Martin H. Kroll NAM VETs Agent Orange Section Editor Fort Mountain BBS - Chatsworth, Ga. 30705 (404) 695-8703 April 2, 1990 2-48-2 The American Legion Office of the National Adjutant National Headquarters P. O. Box 1055 Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Mr. Martin H. Kroll, Sr. Route 7, Box 7702 Chatsworth, Georgia 30705 Dear Mr. Kroll: Miles S. Epling, National Commander of the American Legion, is on an extended visit to various American Legion Departments and has asked me to reply to your letter of March 14, l990, asking a number of questions of The American Legion. The American Legion is a veteran's organization with over 3,000,000 war-time veterans as members. We were formed in 1919 with the following objectives: --Veterans affairs and rehabilitation - service to our fellow veterans --Americanism, children and youth - service to both the patriotism of our nation and our nation's youth --National security and foreign relations - service to "peace through preparedness" and help to democracies --Economics - service to veteran's employment Based on those objectives and the mandates of The American Legion given to the organization by the delegates to our National Convention and through our board of directors, the National Executive Committee, I will attempt to answer your inquiry of March 14. The American Legion has been concerned about U.S. foreign policy since its founding. The parallel could be drawn that we became veterans because of a failed foreign policy. In the 1920's and the 1930's, The American Legion counseled against the harsh treatment of Germany through the Versailles Treaty, and we urged the United States to keep militarily strong. Our objective was "peace through preparedness." The American Legion and the veterans of this country were ignored, and that, among other factors, led this nation to war. That policy has been consistent, and in the 1960's, The American NAM VET Newsletter Page 9 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Legion argued that the United States should decide to either pursue a policy to win the war in Vietnam or get out. Now to your questions concerning our travel to Central America. There are U. S. veterans in Central and South America -- specifically, in Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama, and Mexico. There are also veterans in the Far East and in Europe. Each of those regions is served by American Legion Posts, and our National Commanders do try during their year to visit Legionnaires in as many of these areas as time permits. As to your question whether The American Legion supported the Contras with aid of any kind, the answer is no. The American Legion does not offer money or "in-kind services" to the Contras. Our National Commander's were visiting central America long before the Sandinastas came into power in a long-overdue revolution in Nicaragua. We were among the first to encourage the Sandinastas to hold a free, open election and to end all fighting in Nicaragua. We clearly understand the Nicaraguans' yearning for freedom, and we made our voices heard loud and clear when that freedom was being denied to Nicaragua by the Sandinastas. In 1987, we were the first to urge President Reagan to end the embargo aimed at Nicaragua, because our visits to that country showed it was hurting the very people that could not afford to be hurt any longer. Until their defeat last month, the Sandinastas were interested only in consolidating their power and encouraging revolution throughout Central America. We supported the kind of revolution they feared the most -- the power of the people to determine their own destiny through an open, free and fair election. Why should The American Legion be interested in Central America? The answer is obvious. First and foremost is the fact that The American Legion was an organization "born to die." We were founded by those who had fought the "war to end all wars, " hence our interest in this country's foreign policy. I assume you, nor I, nor any veteran I have ever met wishes his son or daughter to suffer the horrors of war unless there are clear and compelling reasons to do so. That's our interest. Only through open, free and fair elections will Central America be stabilized and a threat to our security and that of the region be reduced to zero. You raised the issue of the country's obligation to the warrior once the war has stopped. The American Legion believes it is a moral obligation that will continue until there are no veterans. You specifically mentioned Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Agent Orange, and frankly I am puzzled about your lack of knowledge of The American Legion's leadership in this area. We were the first to call for an investigation into the affects of exposure to Agent Orange, and we were also among the first to demand counseling for Vietnam veterans suffering from PTSD. I well remember being in a meeting in Washington, D.C. in 1980, while I was serving as Executive Director of The American Legion, when a plan calling for closing all VA outreach centers was being widely accepted. Needless to say, they have not been closed, and you can credit the work of The American Legion. NAM VET Newsletter Page 10 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 The government's refusal to accept the responsibility for the affects of Agent Orange led The American Legion to commission our own study of Vietnam veterans in 1983. This study is titled The American Legion-Columbia University Study of the Vietnam Veteran. It took five years for the study, which resulted in the findings being published in the December 1988 issue of the scientific journal "Environmental Research." We are now on the verge of exposing the deceit surrounding the government's commissioned studies on this subject. We have run dozens of articles in The American Legion Magazine, enlisted thousands of Vietnam veterans to tell their stories, and published dozens of special reports on Agent Orange alone. We have stood shoulder to shoulder with Senator Tom Daschle (SD) and Representative Lane Evans (IL) as they have faced strong and consistent opposition from their colleagues on this issue. Perhaps what we have been doing for dozens of years might not have been exciting, it might not have gotten us into the headlines, but it sure kept us in the forefront of our main mission -- that of veterans affairs and rehabilitation. We welcome anyone to assist us where it counts -- in the halls of Congress and back home in their districts. Frankly, it sometimes angers me that people have a tendency to write about an issue when it's "hot," but when it concerns helping a veteran and his family, more times than not they are left wanting. The American Legion has not shut out any veterans, especially Vietnam veterans. If that were so, H. F. "Sparky" Gierke, a Vietnam veteran, would not have served as our National Commander last year; Miles S. Epling, another Vietnam veteran, would not have been elected to serve this year; and Robert S. Turner, another Vietnam veteran, would not be a candidate for National Commander. We would not have had our largest growth period for the last eight years, with the majority of membership coming from the ranks of the Vietnam veteran. If you are interested in statistics, we have more Vietnam veterans as members than all the other veterans' organizations combined. There are serious problems facing veterans of all generations. The American Legion is large enough, and with its compassion feels that it can serve the needs of all veterans. I encourage any veteran to read "The Wages of War" by Richard Severo and Lewis Milford, who have traced the treatment of veterans since 1783. This book demonstrates just how the warrior is treated once the war ends. We thank you for sharing your thoughts. We veterans are part of a brotherhood who, whether we recognize it or not, should be committed to those that still need our help. We are adding you to our mailing list, and I am sure that you will do your part to help us pull together what others keep trying to pull apart. Sincerely, /s/ Robert W. Spanogle NAM VET Newsletter Page 11 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 National Adjutant Att. cc: Miles S. Epling - National Commander Robert S. Turner - Americanism Commission Member Lew Wood - Public Relations Director _ | | -----/_\----- -O==============< : >==============O- ( ) (...) ( ) NAM VET Newsletter Page 12 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 TWO American Legion's ??? By: Martin H. Kroll, Sr. NAM VETs Agent Orange Section Editor Fort Mountain BBS - Chatsworth, Ga. 30705 (404) 695-8703 May 2, 1990 Martin H. Kroll, Sr. Sysop - Fort Mountain BBS Namvet AO Editor Rt. 7 Box 7702 Chatsworth, Ga. 30705 Mr. Robert W. Spanogle National Adjutant The American Legion National Headquarters P. O. Box 1055 Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Dear Robert, I would like to thank you for your very informative letter to me dated April 2, 1990 (2-48-2) in which you replied to my several questions regarding The American Legion's trips to and involvement in Central America. I am publishing it and this reply to you in the Namvet International Newsletter so that even more veterans will become aware of the leadership and efforts of the American Legion. Of course you realize that the questions that I asked were not just the questions of one lone writer seeking to sensationalize the issues, but rather bonafide questions that many uninformed veterans ask when they read such an article as I referred to in the Georgia Legionnaire. Veterans need these answers presented in an intelligent manner such as you have done. I myself served in Vietnam with soldiers from Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and possibly some of the Central American countries mentioned in my previous letter. It is obvious that veteran's organizations should have posts in these countries serving those veterans that served our nation. You expressed that you were puzzled about my lack of knowledge of The American Legion's leadership in the areas of Agent Orange and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Yes, I and many more Vietnam veterans have not been aware of what our veteran's organizations have been doing for us. I will attempt to explain some of the reasons for this, not in criticism, but hopefully in such a constructive manner that may lead to a correction of these shortcomings, if not for us then for future generations of our brother and sister veterans. I am part of a proud and patriotic family that has served in the Spanish American War, World War 1, World War 2, The Korean War, and Vietnam. When soldiers came home from all but the Vietnam war they were treated as heroes, gained instant respect in the NAM VET Newsletter Page 13 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 community, and had no troubles obtaining further education and meaningful employment thus making their transition back into civilian life a little bit easier to handle. The Vietnam veterans came home from a war that was not won to be spat upon and face chants of "baby killer" and "murderer." Those of us who applied to the VA as early as 1971 for service connected skin disorders were denied our claims. Employers did not want to take a chance on hiring "crazed" Vietnam veterans in more cases than we would like to admit. Many of us who attempted to further our education through the GI Bill were discriminated against also. I can give you a good personal case history if you are interested but will not go into it at this time. So where were we to turn for help? When many of us tried to affiliate with The American Legion and The Veterans of Foreign Wars we were not welcomed. After all we were losers and had not fought in a "real" war, or so we were told. At this point I, and many other Vietnam veterans, just said "to hell with it" and tried to get on with our lives in the best way that we could. In other words we became "loners" and withdrew into ourselves. We had many problems to face and conquer and some of us have been successful and many others have not been quite so fortunate. Compounding the problems were the fact that at that time many people viewed The American Legion and the VFW as just a place to go get drunk, tell war stories, dance a little, and get into a fight. Many posts still have that reputation whether it was "earned" or not. Our local Dalton Post was the subject several years ago of a highly publicized raid that netted a drug bust and an illegal gambling operation. The Post was subsequently padlocked by court order and shut down for quite a period of time. Although it is questionable as to just how many of the individuals involved were actually veterans, people tend to link these unfortunate events with veterans and do not forget easily. It seemed that the "Legion" was not for veterans, but rather for anyone that had the cover charge to get in the door, the price of a few beers, and looking to have a good time. In light of all these circumstances, I hope that it is now clear to you why many Vietnam veterans have not been aware of The American Legion's leadership in the areas of Agent Orange and PTSD. Many of us were already burdened with more problems than we needed, had been shunned by society, employers, educators, and veterans organizations alike, and just simply chose to withdraw into a hardened shell and ignore many things that we should have been paying attention to all along. It is easy to see now though that there have been not one, but two "American Legions" all along. There is the one that you and many others are a part of and the rest of us are deeply indebted to. Proud, hard-working individuals at the forefront of the battles for gaining and keeping benefits and rights for veterans. Always diligently striving to do your best and not receiving much publicity or reward for your efforts. Then there is the "other" American Legion, the one that many veterans see when they return to civilian life. The Legion where you go to get drunk, tell war stories, dance a little, and maybe get into a fight or two. This is the one that is seen by the average working class veteran and much of the public. NAM VET Newsletter Page 14 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 I fully understand that the Legion can not survive on membership dues alone and continue to do the good work that they do. It can also be argued that the "bar room" atmosphere of many of the veterans organizations local posts is indeed what attracts many veterans to come in to begin with. I can't help to feel though that a change of image on the local level would do quite a bit to enhance the respectability of veterans overall. Don't get me wrong here Robert, occasionally I like to have a drink as much as the next person, but my opinion is that if the veterans organi- zations must engage in a business to survive, then it should be an exclusive place for veterans and their guests where you would not care to take [Editor note: Regional colloquialism - meaning the same as: "not care about taking"] your children and the atmosphere would be more conducive to discussing matters of importance to veterans over a nice dinner, enjoy family activities, and be a pillar of respectability in the community. I may again be wrong on this one since I have not been inside a Legion Post for a number of years. If things have indeed changed please accept my apology, set me straight, and understand that this may be one of the reasons that many veterans are not aware of the tremendous amount of good that you guys of the "other" American Legion are doing. You also stated that "Perhaps what we have been doing for dozens of years might not have been exciting, it might not have gotten us into the headlines, but it sure kept us in the forefront of our main mission -- that of veterans affairs and rehabilitation." This is very true, and The American Legion should be commended for hanging in there when many of us didn't. These actions have been a labor of love and a sacrifice for the many Legionnaires like yourself. Times do change though as do wars and attitudes. The Agent Orange and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder issues are different from the issues of previous wars in many respects. The only way that these issues will be resolved in an acceptable manner though is through massive public support. Enough support that the voice of the veterans and the public at large will be heard loud and clear in Washington D.C. and government officials get the message that "they are our servants" paid for by our blood and our tax dollars "rather than us being their subjects!" The only way that I see to gain that public support is by gaining respectability in all areas, drawing all veterans into one massive group effort, getting much more publicity for our accomplishments than we have in the past, and yes.... We MUST capture the headlines in a favorable way! Are you aware that almost one out of six home mortgages in this country are Veterans Administration guaranteed? How could so large a segment of this population possibly have to be always on the alert and forever struggling and fighting for benefits that are regularly threatened or never given to begin with? The answer is because of a severe lack of unity. Can we work together to correct this? You also said that you welcome anyone to assist where it counts and that "Frankly it angers me that people have a tendency to write about an issue when it's "hot," but when it concerns helping a veteran and his family, more times than not they are left wanting." This is a very good point, but maybe it should anger us more that the issues do not stay "hot" for long enough periods to NAM VET Newsletter Page 15 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 encourage the massive publicity that is severely needed to reach into every nook and cranny of our great nation. Just in the past year I discovered Vetlink #1, an electronic BBS in Pittsfield, Massachusetts that is dedicated to helping veterans. I began to come out of my shell and realized that I had given up the fight too soon but at the same time I questioned whether or not I would have been capable of continuing the battle intelligently at that point in my life. So full of resentment because we were shunned and discriminated against, so full of anger at the government for exposing us to toxic chemicals and denying that they harmed us, I doubt if I could have continued at that time without exploding. Through reading the many messages to and from Vietnam veterans on Vetlink #1 and reading the monthly Namvet Newsletter, I soon understood that I was not alone and I wanted to be in the mainstream again so I became more and more involved with Vetlink #1 and Namvet. It saddens me to know that there are many thousands of other Vietnam veterans still out there in their own little hardened world who have not been reached yet. It saddens me to know that veterans organizations are fragmented and not pulling together. It saddens me to know that many veterans and their wives and children still suffer from just not knowing how their health and lives have been affected by Agent Orange and PTSD. It saddens me to know that a massive battle must be fought in order to gain the proper health care for veterans and their families when it is common knowledge that health care is justifiable and deserved, bought and paid for not only with our blood, but in this case with the physical and emotional health of our wives and children also. It makes me happier to see an individual such as yourself who is dedicated to our cause and willing to remain open minded and continue with the battle when so many of us have failed. I appreciate your decision to add me to your mailing list and sincerely hope that we can all work together to gain the momentum that we so desperately need at this point in the history of our great nation. I agree with you that we are part of a brotherhood that should be committed to those that still need our help and would like to add just one last thought... "United we stand, and divided we fall!" I would also appreciate it very much if you would make copies of this response available to Miles Epling, Robert Turner, and Lew Wood. Sincerely, Martin H. Kroll, Sr. Vietnam Veteran 1966-67 Sysop - Fort Mountain BBS Namvet Agent Orange Editor P.S. Would you by chance have access to a computer system and modem? Your presence in the International Vietnam Veterans Echo Conference from time to time wouldn't hurt a thing, and who knows just what good might come from it? Heck, you might even bump into some old friends there and make some new ones too. NAM VET Newsletter Page 16 Volume 4, Number 5 May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xxx _ -. . - .-. - . . . . - XXXXXxxXXXXXXXXXXXx -. - .- . - . . XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-. .--. - .- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX -.- - -.- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX -. -. -. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx .g -. -. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX .- j. .- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . p .-. XXXXXXXX ]XXXXXXXXX ]XXXXXXXX .- - -. XXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX -.- - -- XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX -- - XXXXXXXXX X'`XXX XXXXXXX Y Y XXXXXXXXX XXXXX XXX XXXXXXX X X XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXX XXXXXX XXX XX X XXX XX XX XXXX XX XXX XX XX XX XXXX XXX]XXXXXXXXXXXX XXX[ XX XX XXX XXXXXXXXXX " I t ' s o n l y t e e n a g e a c n e ! " -Robert Nimmo- NAM VET Newsletter Page 17 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 "Cancer-stricken veteran hopes recent VA decision covers illness" By: Laura Palmer El Paso Times Sun. Apr. 8,1990 Input by: Joyce Flory NAM VETs Incarcerated Veterans Section Editor Desert Dolphin BBS - Las Cruces, NM (505) 523-2811 Rick Strubeck, a Vietnam veteran in East Brunswick, NJ, clutches to hope the way he once held an M-16. It's almost the only weapon he has in his desperate struggle against bone marrow cancer. The 39-year old, who was heavily exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam, is hoping his cancer will be included in the latest Veterans Administration ruling, which makes non-Hodgkin's lymphoma a service-connected disability. In the six months since his story appeared in this column, Strubeck's health has deteriorated. The pain is relentless and he needs a cane to walk. His doctor describes Strubeck's cancer as a "next-door neighbor to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, "so there's a possibility that because it's a related illness, he may soon be eligible for benefits. Now, because his illness is not considered service-connected, he gets nothing and is treated as a charity case at a nearby medical center. His main concern is for his wife and two small children. This week he felt a flicker of hope. "If I was getting money every month and I could know that my children could go to college if they wanted to and have medical coverage, that would mean a great deal to me. I can't go out and work." The latest ruling, handed down late last week, will mean a maximum monthly payment of $1,500 for veterans who are 100 percent disabled by their cancers. Veterans who have had earlier non- Hodgkin's lymphoma claims denied will receive payments retroactive to the time of denial. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Edward Derwinski says: "When in doubt, give veterans the benefit. I don't think I should make a judgment in any other way." Derwinski's action was based on a Centers for Diseases Control cancer study that found men who served in Vietnam had a 50 percent greater chance of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma than men who didn't. What would Derwinski have done if the study had concluded that Vietnam vets had only a 25 percent greater chance of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma? "Frankly, yes, "Derwinski said. Fifteen percent? "Probably." Even 10? "Probably." Derwinski is a man who plays his cards close to his chest. He looks like a linebacker, but politically he moves like Fred Astaire. The job gets done. This latest decision will cost the government at least $20 million. What if Derwinski had been told the cost was too high? "Any dollar and cents argument would not have washed, in my opinion," he said. "When you say the (VA) benefits budget is $16 billion, $20 million is absorbable." Derwinski says he hopes to complete work on additional Agent Orange guidelines by the end of May. His adviser on the issue, Adm. Elmo Zumwalt, is due to hand in his report at the end of April. Derwinski will then consult with his advisory commission in May and make his decision. NAM VET Newsletter Page 18 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 "I don't want to announce that we are going to wait another year and a half for some other study, "Derwinski says. "We are not going to be ducking." Meanwhile, Strubeck lives in pain and waits with expectation. "Benefits for my family would take a load off my mind," he says. "If this disease overcomes me and they planted me 6 feet under I would rest in peace knowing that my family wouldn't be left struggling." )| _+|__|_ |--- --| ------------------------=========================== \_______________________________________________) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ NAM VET Newsletter Page 19 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 For these women, the battle continues By: Cal Orey Woman's World Investigates - April 17, 1990 Input by: G. Joseph Peck NAM VETs Managing Editor VETLink #1 - Pittsfield, MA (413) 443-6313 In the last 10 years, Lily Adams's life has been one medical crisis after another. She's suffered from skin disease, endured a life-threatening pregnancy and given birth to a son with serious intestinal problems. Maureen Nerli has also lived through medical nightmares. She speaks wistfully of the days when she was "as healthy as a horse." Now her life's a round of migraines, body rashes, dizziness and thyroid problems. Illness is Penny Burwell's constant companion too. She's been hit with bone disease, kidney stones and gynecological problems that resulted in a hysterectomy. Penny says her doctors think "I've come into contact with something that's done very bizarre things to my body." According to Lily, Maureen and Penny, Agent Orange is the cause of their problems. All three say they were exposed to the dangerous chemical when they served in Vietnam. From 1962 to 1971, 12 million gallons of Agent Orange were dumped on the tiny country. American troops sprayed it from the air and sea in an effort to strip away the enemy's jungle cover. Ironically, the chemical once used in an effort to save American lives may now be destroying them. One of the reasons Agent Orange is so dangerous is that it contains dioxin, a cancer-causing contaminant that has been linked to birth defects, infertility, miscarriage and disorders of the immune system. Because dioxin doesn't dissolve in water, Americans in Vietnam were inadvertently exposed to it in their drinking and bathing water and in the local food. Out of the more than 500 military women who have reported coming in contact with Agent Orange, 85 to 90 percent were nurses. "Many nurses told us they were stripping clothing off the dead and dying soldiers," says Paul Sutton, head of the New Jersey Agent Orange Commission. These soldiers had been out in the jungle, and their clothing was probably saturated with the deadly chemical spray. Marilyn Edgerton-Mallard was one of the Army nurses who tended these men. Today she is certain that her exposure to Agent Orange is the cause of her infertility. "I didn't think being around Agent Orange had affected me until many years later," Marilyn says. "I tried to get pregnant and couldn't." Eventually Marilyn underwent a hysterectomy, which she believes was necessary because of her exposure to the chemical. What does the government have to say about an issue that may affect thousands of women who served in Vietnam? Not much. Hard, scientific data is sketchy. The government paid the Centers for Disease Control $20 million to conduct an Agent Orange study but, like most research on this subject, it didn't include women. NAM VET Newsletter Page 20 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 And, shockingly, women who served in Vietnam, in the Red Cross and USO, both civilian volunteer organizations, are being totally ignored. Maureen Nerli, who is a former USO worker, says, "Ever since I came home from Vietnam I have had one illness after another." Maureen is also distressed that although she served 18 months in Vietnam as a volunteer, her service isn't officially recognized by the government, which excludes her from VA health benefits. "The VA doesn't deal with us. They classify us as non-Vietnam veterans," she says. Therefore, USO and other civilian workers can't get compensation. (Army nurses can, but only if they are seriously disabled.) Vernon Houk, M.D., of the Environmental Health and Injury Control of the Centers for Disease Control explains, "It's possible to do a study of military women who served in Vietnam because we know who they are, but it is not possible to do a valid study of the non-military women because there is no master list." Maureen Nerli understands the frustration. "I have a friend who served in Vietnam with the Red Cross," she explained. "My friend called me a couple of months ago. She was hysterical. She said, "I'm so nervous and depressed. I can't have kids because I was sprayed with Agent Orange when I was in Vietnam. Does anybody care?" Lily Adams, 41, an Agent Orange activist from California, was an Army nurse in Vietnam. Says Lily, "We keep on saying to the government we don't want compensation - we want you to do research. The VA is saying that if it does the research and it proves there's a connection it's going to go bankrupt." The issue of compensation is thorny. In 1984, after years of litigation, a $180 million fund for Vietnam veterans was created by Agent Orange manufacturers to resolve the class-action suit filed against them. The fund excludes spouses an birth-defective children of vets - and, of course, it excludes all civilian volunteers such as Maureen. Since there's not enough money to cover all vets, disabled veterans and their dependents are angry. So is Karen Johnson, a vet who spent two years in Vietnam as an Army reporter. She's being compensated with a small monthly amount because she'd 60-percent disabled, but she is still irate over what she calls the government's "gobbledygook." She suffers from a chest ailment and is desperate to know more about Agent Orange. Will she get worse or die from long-term effects of the poison? Says Bart Stichman, attorney and litigating director for the Vietnam Veterans of America, "The VA would be compensating veterans if it believed there was a connection between Agent Orange and various disabilities. But it doesn't. So no vet with an Agent Orange-related illness is getting very much now." The government must step in to compensate vets, he says. So far, it has refused, but is reexamining its position. For the women who gave so generously of their time, energy and talents during the war, this realization is cruel. It's ironic that after serving their country faithfully, they don't know whom to turn to for answers about the mysterious Agent Orange. Until there is more medical data, the thousands of women who served in the U.S. during the Vietnam War will continue to fear the enemy within. In a very real sense, they have met the enemy - and it is their own government. NAM VET Newsletter Page 21 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 | | |____====________ ||__________}____)==================|) =============---------------------===_____ /| | | | |\\ \________|__________|_________|_________|/ \\(O)___(O)___(O)___(O)___(O)___(O)// NAM VET Newsletter Page 22 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 ================================================================== V e t e r a n B e n e f i t s & I n f o ================================================================== "Beefed-up VA examines choice meats in federal pork barrel" "Secretary pledges Agent Orange action" El Paso Times, March 11, 1990 Input by: Joyce Flory NAM VETs Incarcerated Veterans Section Editor Desert Dolphin BBS - Las Cruces, NM (505) 523-2811 (AP) Washington -- It's starting to sprinkle on the election- year parade that last March brought the nation's 27 million veterans more access to the White House. Not that the marching and music will stop anytime soon. The Bush administration's 1991 budget proposal asks for a record $31 billion for the Veterans Affairs Department, including an unheard-of $12.3 billion for health programs. The proposal is "the best VA medical care budget request by a president in more than a decade," Sen. Alan Cranston, D-Calif., chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, said. And VA Secretary Edward Derwinski has raised the hopes of the 3.1 million Vietnam War veterans by promising he personally will settle the Agent Orange question this spring. Derwinski, more than any VA official in the recent past, has opened his doors to that group of veterans, Paul Egan of Vietnam Veterans of America said. But the same members of Congress who praised the budget already have begun tinkering with it, and have refused to go along with a review of the VA medical system that could mean closing hospitals or clinics. Veterans groups demanded $1.1 billion more and are attacking VA's effort to review the benefits system. Derwinski is the first VA secretary of the United States. Until March 15, 1989, VA stood for the Veterans Administration - just another government agency, albeit a massive one. Now it is a department, giving Derwinski full Cabinet status. Va helps educate, house, treat, and bury people who served the country in war or peace. It operates the largest health-care system in the free world. Second in size only to the nation's veteran-producing machine, the Pentagon, VA employs about a quarter of a million people. Its 172 medical centers and other facilities are choice cuts of meat in the federal pork barrel. Since they make up well over a tenth of the US population and are all of voting age, veterans are a political force to be reckoned with. Derwinski, a wily former congressman from Chicago, knows that hard times lie ahead. He must decide what to do about 9 million or so World War II veterans who are getting older - and many of them sicker and poorer. Large numbers have moved South and West away from existing facilities in the East and Midwest. He must deal with an overstrained bureaucracy that forces young veterans to wait months for their claims to be handled or just can't get through to VA on the telephone. He must deal with chronically underpaid doctors and nurses. Finally, Derwinski must develop and maintain good working relationships with Congress, where he served 12 terms before NAM VET Newsletter Page 23 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 joining the Reagan State Department, and with the veterans' lobby. Congress and the veterans groups "tend to be better second- guessers than blocking backs," Derwinski said recently in a rare show of pique. "They tend to be less cooperative about proposals to innovate than they do critiquing our past performance," he said. "That's the headache part of the job." When Derwinski made those remarks, the Disabled American Veterans had just questioned "the department's commitment to its role as veterans' advocate." The group had discovered VA was quietly studying benefit reforms." That study includes a look at the sacred cow known as disability payments. VA is looking at ways to restore fairness to the system, including equal death benefits for survivors of privates or generals. Derwinski ran up against a brick wall in Congress last July when he asked for legislation to create a study commission that would examine the VA's network of hospitals and clinics. He said no such review had been done for 25 years." NAM VET Newsletter Page 24 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 DERWINSKI FEATURED AT PUBLIC SERVICE AWARDS DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Office of Public Affairs - News Service Washington DC 20420 (202) 233-2741 Input by: G. Joseph Peck NAM VETs Managing Editor VETLink #1 - Pittsfield, MA (413) 443-6313 Organizers of a Washington luncheon to honor federal career employees have announced that Secretary of Veterans Affairs Edward J. Derwinski will be a keynote speaker at the Private Sector Salute to Public Service on May 9. Derwinski will be joined by famed business entrepreneur H. Ross Perot to deliver remarks recognizing the contributions of the nation's public employees. Office of Personnel Management Director Constance Berry Newman will be master of ceremonies for the event, to be held from noon to 2 p.m. at the J.W. Marriott Hotel. Some 750 civil servants, chosen to represent the nation's federal work force, will attend the luncheon which will include special awards for exemplary public service. The privately funded program takes place during Public Service Recognition Week. Derwinski was named the nation's first VA Secretary on March 15, 1989, when VA was elevated to Cabinet status. A former 12-term Chicago-area congressman, Derwinski served for many years on the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee where he played a major role in the passage of federal-employee reform legislation. NAM VET Newsletter Page 25 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 VA VIDEO PROMOTES UNDERSTANDING OF AIDS DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Office of Public Affairs - News Service Washington DC 20420 (202) 233-2741 Input by: G. Joseph Peck NAM VETs Managing Editor VETLink #1 - Pittsfield, MA (413) 443-6313 The Department of Veterans Affairs has produced a videotape designed to help health-care personnel, as well as the general public, in their understanding of the effects of AIDS. Entitled "...like any other patient," the tape includes interviews with AIDS patients and their families, and provides a powerful insight into what it is like to have AIDS. A workbook accompanies the program. The 26-minutes, 1/2-inch videotape has been distributed to all VA medical center libraries, VA outpatient clinics and Vietnam Veteran Outreach Centers (Vet Centers) throughout the country. Individuals interested in viewing the tape should contact their local public or school library and arrange to borrow it from a VA medical center library. Copies also may be purchased for $55 from the National Audiovisual Center, 8700 Edgeworth Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743; telephone: 1-800-638-1300. The AIDS Program in VA has become the largest single source of direct health-care services available for treating the AIDS epidemic in the United States. VA also conducts a variety of AIDS-related research projects and operates six AIDS Research Centers at VA hospitals in Baltimore; Durham, N.C.; San Diego; New York; Houston and San Francisco. NAM VET Newsletter Page 26 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 "Ask the Veterans' Affairs Counselor" (Following are representative questions answered daily by VA counselors. Full information is available at any VA office.) DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Office of Public Affairs - News Service Washington DC 20420 (202) 233-2741 Input by: G. Joseph Peck NAM VETs Managing Editor VETLink #1 - Pittsfield, MA (413) 443-6313 Q-- I am submitting paperwork to VA for a headstone to mark my father's grave in our family plot. Should I include any documents regarding his service in the Navy with the application? A-- To assist in processing our application a copy of any official document attesting to service in the armed forces should be submitted along with the application form. Please send only copies of documents to the Department of Veterans Affairs (42), Washington, D.C. 20420. Q-- I send VA a check every month for my insurance premium. Do I have other payment options? A-- Yes. You may pay your premiums quarterly, semiannually or annually and receive a discount. If you receive VA disability or pension benefits, your premiums can automatically be deducted from your monthly checks. Similarly, if you receive military retired pay, an allotment can be established to pay your premiums. YOu can also use the new VA Matic option, where monthly premiums are automatically deducted from your checking account. These payments options can be effected by calling 1-800-422-8079. Q-- I am a divorced veteran. Can my ex-husband force me to maintain him as beneficiary on my VA life insurance policy? A-- Under your Government Life Insurance contract, you have the right to designate or change a beneficiary at any time.. YOu can do this without the knowledge or consent of your designated beneficiary or beneficiaries. The United States Supreme Court has ruled that state courts cannot restrict your right to make changes to your beneficiary designation. All changes must be made in writing to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Q-- How can I apply for Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance (RH)? A-- Application for RH insurance must be made within one year from date of notification by VA that a service-connected disability has been established. NAM VET Newsletter Page 27 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Project Transition By: Kathleen Cassedy VVA Veteran - March 1990 Edition VVA Members in Ohio Have Created A Model For Community Organizations Everywhere By: G. Joseph Peck NAM VETs Managing Editor VETLink #1 - Pittsfield, MA (413) 443-6313 Forty dollars isn't much money, unless of course you just don't have it. It's even more money if that's the amount you owe the electric company - which just sent you your last cutoff notice. That's how bad finances had become for Vietnam veteran Thomas Pastor of Columbus, Ohio, after an accident left him disabled. Even with workers' compensation, he was barely able to support his wife and small child. "We can scrape by, but if anything out of the ordinary comes up, then that leaves us with nothing," confides Pastor, 42, a Vietnam- era veteran who served in the Navy between 1965 and 1969. "It's just that each month I've slipped a little further behind. Now I'm in such a hole, there's no way I can get myself clear.... If I could get caught up, I could stay caught up," he declares. Enter Project Transition, a program started in 1988n by the VVA Ohio State Council to help veterans who are homeless, economically disadvantaged, or hitting temporary hard times. The project's goal is to help veterans make a better life for themselves. Sometimes this involves locating affordable housing, helping to find jobs, or providing emergency funds, as in Pastor's case. Concerned about what kind of Christmas he could provide for his two-year-old son, Pastor didn't know about Project Transition when he telephoned a VVA chapter in December to inquire about a "Toys for Tots" program. Not only did he receive gifts for his son; but he learned about Project Transition, which gave him money - fast - to pay his outstanding electricity bill. Project Transition coordinators also put him in touch with local agencies that can assist him with food and additional funds, if the need arises. Pastor, an electrician, says he never needed special assistance until he was injured three years ago. While wiring a ceiling, he fell off a scaffold. He shattered bones in his heels and fractured a vertebrae in his back. Today, he walks with a limp, due to a locked ankle, and he is unable to lift his 30-pound son. Pastor is optimistic that his rehabilitation will conclude this year, but he'll never be like he was. "I won't be able to go back to my previous employment," he explains, and he adds that since his accident, he has had difficulty climbing and standing for long periods. When Pastor is ready to find new employment, Project Transition can help him locate new work or refer him to agencies that provide job training. At the Columbus office where Project Transition is located, a counselor from the Ohio Bureau of Employment and a VA job specialist are on duty each week. The Ohio-based project is administered by David Bradley, executive director of the VVA Department of Ohio, and by the assistant director, Carol Tolliver. Four full-time VISTA volunteers coordinate the project, three of whom are Vietnam NAM VET Newsletter Page 28 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 veterans, two with disabilities from their combat experiences. The program, which serves the greater Columbus area (where about 400,000 veterans and their dependents live), is aimed at helping Vietnam-era veterans, but no veteran, regardless of time or type of service, is refused aid. "Project Transition is veterans helping veterans and their families," explains Executive Director Bradley. "If veterans want to help themselves, we are here to help them make a difference in their lives." The idea for Project Transition came in 1987, and soon it attracted a $15,000 grant from the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation and a $77,000 grant from the Agent Orange Assistance Program. The Agent Orange money is allocated separately as this grant stipulates that the money must be used to help Vietnam-era veterans who served in-country between 1961 and 1972. Help provided by Project Transition to veterans and their dependents is based on a well-defined class of circumstances. For instance, if a veteran needs counseling and can't make it to a community-based "storefront" vet center, the program will pay for private counseling or provide bus tickets or gasoline money. In addition to these services, Project Transition has undertaken a Homeless and Incarcerated Veterans Project. This separate project is designed to help homeless veterans and ex-felons find jobs and affordable housing. At the same time, the project provides these veterans with emergency assistance during the period of their reacclimation to society. The Project Transition team estimates at least 1,000 veterans are homeless each night in their region - the best proof possible - perhaps - that homelessness remains endemic among Vietnam veterans. While Project Transition provides emergency funds to individual veterans in need, it is also an agency that places great emphasis on "networking." The project puts veterans and their dependents in touch with the right agency to meet their needs - whether the agency is under the jurisdiction of a city, a state, the federal government, or is located in the private sector. The number of agencies, programs, or volunteer groups with whom Project Transition works is continually expanding as different veterans' needs are introduced. "Something comes up new everyday. We network with a new agency when a new veteran is added," exclaims Project Transition coordinator Darrel Peakes. "It's like a snowball going down a hill - it just gets bigger and bigger." Some of the agencies in Ohio that work with Project Transition include Legal Aid, the Literacy Council, the Franklin County division of human services (which provides an updated listing of affordable housing), Franklin County Mental Health Services, the Red Cross, the Private Industry Council (which administers the Job Training Partnership Act), and Greyhound, Inc., which offers a 25 percent discount on bus tickets to the project. Project Transition coordinators make a point of talking several times each day with the local VA vet center as well as with the Franklin County Veterans Service Commission. The commission administers a number of other valuable programs designed specifically to help veterans. "They're constantly calling us, and we're constantly calling them, too," remarks Nelson Waldrop, an investigator and administrator of the relief program at the Veterans Service Commission. "They can do what we can't do, and they're doing a NAM VET Newsletter Page 29 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 good job of it." The Veterans Service Commission, a county-funded agency, does not help veterans find housing or jobs but provides emergency funds to pay for rent, utilities, and food. Michael Shearer, a team leader at the Columbus vet center, uses his relationship with Project Transition as a "hand-and-glove operation." The vet center refers veterans who are homeless, hungry, or unemployed to Project Transition, which specializes in providing immediate help to veterans and their families. Once persons are stabilized with an address and a job, they can be referred to the vet center for substance abuse, familial relations or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder counseling. "If a person isn't stabilized, it doesn't do much good to start any type of therapy. If you're hungry, if you don't have clothes on your back, you're not real concerned why that might be at that time," explains Shearer. The Project Transition program encompasses outreach into the community, especially at shelters, where many homeless veterans find refuge during hard times. Columbus's three main shelters - Open Shelter, Faith Mission, and Friends of the Homeless - are all downtown, and they provide 24-hour emergency housing to men and some families. However, some "emergency" situations have stretched into permanent domiciles with people living at shelters for years. Both the Holy Rosary and the Salvation Army shelter women and children, and the Volunteers of America of Columbus operates an overflow emergency shelter at night. Church-based organizations provide "scatter-site" shelters by arranging temporary lodging at hotels or in church basements. The Open Shelter, begun in 1983, provides accommodations to approximately 95 men per night and offers daytime services such as medical, financial, and legal counseling - in other words, it provides those services normally available to needy people in the community who do not stay at the shelter.. "We've been full every day except for two days after we opened," related Kent Beittel, director of Open Shelter. "When we started here, it was estimated that 250 people were on the streets of Columbus on any given day competing for 200 beds in the shelter system. Today, it is estimated that over a thousand people are on the streets every day, competing for 650 beds." "I've seen the problem get worse and worse," laments Anita Gallick, associate director at Faith Mission, which houses 110 men, 20 women, and five families each night. Overall, in the Columbus, Franklin County area, about 1,450 different people are housed per month at one of nine shelters, according to CALLVAC (Caring, Answering, Listening, and Linking Volunteer Action Center), a local volunteer organization which received 10,000 calls in 1989 from people in distress. CALLVAC processes statistics from the Community Shelter Board, a volunteer group which receives survey information from Franklin County shelters to assess their funding needs. Shelters are funded by the city and United Way and through donations from other organizations and individuals. Determining how many people are homeless is difficult because surveys are voluntary, irregular, and sometimes inaccurate - then too, not all homeless people go to shelters. Some homeless are on the streets or temporarily housed with families or friends. Determining the number of homeless VETERANS and their families is NAM VET Newsletter Page 30 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 even more elusive, but that number is believed to be as high as 1,000 nightly. The Community Shelter Board, which began requesting surveys last year, will incorporate questions regarding veteran status in future surveys. In a year's time, Open Shelter houses 1,200 different men, of whom 40 percent are believed to be veterans and 20 percent to be Vietnam-era veterans. About 25 percent of the homeless at Faith Mission are believed to be veterans, and most of them are from the Vietnam era. Estimated statistics for Columbus, determined by CALLVAC, show that 80 percent of the homeless people are men and 20 percent are women; 40 percent have a high school education and 10-15 percent have some college. One-third of the homeless people work. Many homeless veterans are reticent to identify themselves as vets, having "fallen through the crack" one too many times in programs designed by the armed services or by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Project Transition, on the other hand, does not seem to have the same kinds of administrative problems - as a volunteer organization, it has been cited innumerable times as a model for what a community=based organization can do when it is staffed by dedicated and hardworking people. In other words, the VVA members of the Columbus area as well as those from all over Ohio have made Project Transition a success. So far, Project Transition has helped more than 455 veterans, of whom 118 served in Vietnam. "Project Transition is one of several activities that veterans have believable access to," charged Beittel of Open Shelter. "Let's face it, many projects for veterans we set up because veterans do not trust the Veterans Administration, and because they don't trust it, they don't use it effectively. Therefore, they need someone to be their advocate in approaching the traditional veterans' organizations and bureaucracies. That's the only way they'll know that they can get the best results." Members of the Project Transition team visit the Open Shelter weekly, identifying themselves as a nonprofit organization that can help veterans. "We stress to them that we are not with the government," notes Peakes of the Project Transition team. They stay about one hours, distributing literature and answering questions. At first, their visits were met with skepticism. "When we first got over there, people were reluctant to even talk," recalls Peakes. "But once they knew we were there to really help, once they saw we got a few veterans jobs, got them out of the shelter - word got around." There are any number of reasons why Vietnam veterans make up an ever-increasing portion of the total homeless population. Certainly economic dislocation has had something to do with the rising numbers. In the Columbus area, there is a shortage of factory jobs and affordable housing. In addition, local governments are unwilling to tackle the problem through a more equitable tax system, a revamped welfare program that assists people into the work force, and a realistic minimum wage. With housing as expensive as it is, working full-time at minimum wage does not insure a person will earn enough to cover life's necessities: food and shelter - especially when unexpected costs or accidents keep them from their jobs. "As it is now in Ohio, if a person gets a job, they (Sic) NAM VET Newsletter Page 31 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 automatically lose their medical benefits they may have received when on welfare. Their food stamps are often lost or drastically cut. And if you're working for $3.35 or $4.00 an hour, you simply can't make ends meet," explains Gallick of Faith Mission. "The biggest problem for economically disadvantaged or homeless people is they don't have the type of job to bring in the income they need. They are struggling. Some of them are in between jobs. At times like these, if you don't have anybody to lean on, then you're going to have problems," notes Bradley. That's the area in which Project Transition is the most beneficial. It provides peer support for veterans by veterans. It helps needy veterans regain self-esteem. In addition to word-of-mouth communication, veterans learn about Project Transition from public-service announcements on local radio and TV stations. An advertisement ran in a citywide free newspaper. Brochures explaining Project Transition are dropped off at key locations in the Columbus area - and at agencies or shelters where homeless or needy veterans may show up. The VVA members of Ohio, the creators of Project Transition, believe that the program has a bright future, and they point out that VVA's most recent convention endorsed the project and the chapter members' hard work. Project Transition and the Ohio State Council are compiling a larger list of foundations and corporations for additional grants to keep the program ongoing. In one respect, however, the VVA members of Ohio are fortunate. The Ohio State Council is unique because the State of Ohio supports it financially, enabling it to have a paid staff. VVA had the office and core people to begin the project, but the state funding has been of tremendous help. Project Transition seems to be catching on in other parts of the country. After VVA's endorsement in August of 1989, the Ohio State Council received innumerable calls from VVA chapters in other parts of the country. For instance, the West Virginia State Council has moved ahead to set up its own Project Transition in Logan County. "All of the guys down here from Vietnam, we grew up together," notes Kyle Workman, president of the West Virginia State Council. He points out that West Virginia was Number One in sending its young men to serve in combat roles in Vietnam. Logan County, which has a population of around 40,000, sent 2,000 men to Vietnam. The Ohio State Council is helping the West Virginia State Council tailor a Project Transition program to meet the particular needs of Logan County. "They've brought a lot of awareness to our neighborhood that we didn't really understand," notes Workman, who regards the lack of jobs in the area as the biggest problem. VVA chapters are encouraged to use the name "Project Transition," as outlined in the VVA resolution, when they sit up similar programs in their own states. "It's easier when you go to a foundation and try to get their help," explains Jim Tudor, the Ohio State Council president. "It's easier to say, 'This is not a new program but a program that's active in other states, and here's their involvement and what they have done.' It establishes a track record." As long as the Ohio State Council can attract funding, it intends to continue Project Transition until the need is no longer there. And it seems now to be an axiom: Project Transition has not only become a model for a successful community-based organization, it is now reaching out nationally to all veterans NAM VET Newsletter Page 32 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 who need help. David Bradley is proud of the success: "Hey, we worked hard," he says. "We deserve it." ____________ ======= _________________/|_____... | | " === |_______________| |-----::: |._ - " ) |_|___| / / |___| /_/ NAM VET Newsletter Page 33 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 ================================================================== M i s s i n g ! ! ! ================================================================== MIA-POW News & Updates by: Rick Stolz NAM VET MIA-POW Section Editor The Reunion BBS - Okauchee, Wisconsin (414) 567-0437 Well here we go with another month, and there has been some progress. Slow, but there where 10 more remains sent to Hawaii for identification. We still have to get them to send them back from Cambodia, and Laos. We must get negotiations going there. United States is giving aid to the Cambodians to help overthrow the Vietnamese installed government, and that would be one way of tying in an agreement to have remains returned. I tried this month to use Bio's on people that there are still some questions as to what really happened. One of Richard Allard is extremely interesting. If it is true then our government definitely has some explaining to do. LETTERS ON ANN MILLS GRIFFITHS TO ALL POW ORGANIZATIONS, We need to inform all Family Members of our brothers still missing in Southeast Asia that we need the following info as soon as possible. 1. Any letters or other documents pertaining to the NLF's refusal to admit or readmit them as members of the National League of Families. 2. And/or draft letters that the National League of Families does not represent them with respect to the POW/MIA issue, "LIVE POW ISSUE" or any of the pending legislation. It is important that we receive this information in the next month as it will have great bearing on our chances of introducing an identical "TRUTH BILL" in the U.S. SENATE. The window of opportunity is near and we must act now! Please send any info to either of the people listed below. Chuck Schantag Al Ziegler POW NETWORK HOMECOMING II 7303 Volquardsen 502 N Ivy St. Davenport, Ia 52806 Arlington, Va 22201 >> FLASH FOR THOSE WHO CARE << TODAY IN ARLINGTON CEMETERY THE FOLLOWING SEVEN NAMES WERE BURIED. TAKE NOTE I SAID SEVEN NAMES MAJ SAMUEL K. TOOMEY, III US ARMY 1LT RAYMOND C. STACKS US ARMY SSG KLAUS D. SCHOLZ US ARMY SP5 RICHARD A. FITTS US ARMY NAM VET Newsletter Page 34 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 SGT ARTHUR E. BADER JR. US ARMY SP4 MICHAEL H. MEIN US ARMY SP4 GARY R. LABOHN US ARMY THE CILHI ANTHROPOLOGICAL REPORT 0071-89 PLAINLY STATES THAT THE 145 BONE CHIPS CANNOT BE IDENTIFIED BY RACE, SEX , HEIGHT, WEIGHT OR AGE AND THUS CANNOT BE CORRELATED TO ANY OF THESE MEN. THE USG BURIED SEVEN NAMES BUT UNTIL THEY'RE IDENTIFIED, THEY ARE UNACCOUNTED FOR. AL ZIEGLER HOMECOMING II >> ALERT for HR 3603 << Have you passed a Bill (Memorial) or a Floor Resolution making it a state law that your state legislature fully endorse the Truth Bill (HR 3603)? If so, please contact Dolores Alfond at 206-881-1499. If not, and you want to help get a movement started in your state government, contact Dolores Alfond. State Representatives and Senators are now in the process of drafting such a bill for Washington State. When passed into law, it will be sent to the U.S. Congress and President Bush showing that Washington State (or your state) has endorsed the passage of the Truth Bill. RIGHTS OF OUR SERVICEMEN LACKING ================================ House Resolution 1304, Similar to the Missing Service Personnel Act, has over 100 Co-sponsors. Florida was the latest to go with it. This bill does not go far enough to correct the injustice of the 1942 Missing Service Personnel Act. It has no depth, no Guts. 10, 15 or 20 years ago, this would have worked to update the 1942 Act. Today, many families of P.O.W.'s stand behind the wording, content, and intent of 1730. The American Legion, VFW, AND VVA passed resolutions in support of HR 1730 at 1989 summer conventions. Well that about covers it for this month. One last item that I would like to add. Reunion BBS has added a database on Service reunions, if you are looking for reunion information of have reunion information please add it to the database. It has over 1200 reunions now and I still have to put in another 500 or so from the Navy. This is a way to keep track of all reunions for all branches of service. Your help on updates and additions would be helpful. If you are interested in a reunion for your unit, you can add it with a note on the end saying that you are looking fore reunion information. Who knows, there might be someone else that is looking too and between the two of you, you can start a reunion. Till next month: Keep the faith and remember that 'till we are all home we still have unfinished business. NAM VET Newsletter Page 35 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Let us not forget our brothers still there ! Rick %%% _ | | -----/_\----- -O==============< : >==============O- ( ) (...) ( ) NAM VET Newsletter Page 36 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 MIA/POW Postage Stamp? Input by: Joyce Flory NAM VETs Incarcerated Veterans Section Editor Desert Dolphin BBS - Las Cruces, NM (505) 523-2811 (From) VietNam Veterans of America Chapter #294 American Veterans in Prison P.O. Box 466 Gardner, Massachusetts 01440 Dear Friend; Enclosed with this letter you will find a request form for thirty (30) names to be signed to it for the initiation for a postal stamp for our NOT FORGOTTEN servicemen. We would appreciate once you have filled the sheet to mail it to the Honorable Postmaster General, address on form. If more forms are needed, feel free to copy this form while still blank and or ask us to send you some more. Your help and patriotism is most appreciated and welcomed to our efforts. Thank you for your time and cooperation in making this one of America's most united joint efforts to bring back our MIA/POW and a nation wide awareness to Americans and our leaders in Washington, that we want our men and women to be returned to their families and their country. Respectfully (signature) James J Mickle State Committee for POW/MIA Massachusetts James Mickle George Herbert Albert Articolo RED BADGE OF COURAGE,INC. For The Return Of All MIAs/POWs 1023 5th Ave. So. St. James, MN (507)375-5435 POW-MIA POSTAGE STAMP The Honorable Anthony Frank,Postmaster Gen. United States Postal Service 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, D.C. 20260 We respectfully request that you initiate a postage stamp which bears the logo of the National League of POW/MIA Families. The logo serves to create awareness and concern over the POW/MIA issue. The logo depicts a prisoner of war with a prison camp tower over his shoulder, barbed wire extends horizontally behind the prisoner in silhouette form. Below the logo are the words imprinted "YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN". _______________ _______________ _______________ NAM VET Newsletter Page 37 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ NAM VET Newsletter Page 38 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 W W M M W W M M M M W W \ / M M M M OOOO W W W --*-- M M M IIII O O W W W W / \ M M II O O W W W W M M II O O W W M M II O O II PPPPPP O O ..... II AA PP PP OOOO . '' '' .. IIII A A PP PP ..' '.. A A PPPPPPP ..' ''. A A PP ..' '. AAAAAA PP .' ''. A A PP .' '. A A .' .:::::.. '. .' .::::::::::. ' .' .::::::::::::::. '. .' __ .::::::::::::::::;:... '. .' _- -_ .:::::::::::::::::::::::. '. .' _-_ _ _ -_ ::::::::::::::::::::::::' '. .. _- -!!___!!!-_:::::::::::::::::::::::. .. .' ==_ _- _= .:::::::::::::::::::::::: ', . =-_= _= = :::::::::::::::::::::::: . .' =-_ =_- = ::::::::::::::::::::::: '. .' = - -_ =_:::::::::::::::::::::. '. .' -_ -_- .:::::::::::::::::::;;;. '. .' _-_ ..::::::::::::::::::::::::; '. . _ _ .:;:::::::::::::::::::::;, . ' _ .:::::::::::::::::::::::::. '. Y .'.....::::::::::::::::::::::::::;' '. N ::::::::::::::::::::::::' `''' ': O `::::::::::::::::::::::: \v/ \ / :'E `:::::::::::::::::::::: =========================== :' U `:::::::::::::::::::::. /^\ \ :'T `:::::::::::::::::::: .: A `:::::::::::::::::: .:'T `::::::::::::::::::. .;' R `:::::::::::::::::. .;' T `::::::::::::::::. .;' E `:::::::::gjp::: .:' O `:::::::::::::...........'' G N O T F O R " Bring them home --- NOW !!! " NAM VET Newsletter Page 39 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Bio of Richard Michael Allard by: Rick Stolz NAM VET MIA-POW Section Editor The Reunion BBS - Okauchee, Wisconsin (414) 567-0437 CASE SYNOPSIS: Allard, Richard Michael Name: Richard Michael Allard Rank/Branch: SP4/US Army Unit: 119th Aviation Company, 52nd Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade Date of Birth: 24 August 1946 (Bay City MI) Home City of Record: Chesaning MI (Family in Schaumburg IL) Date of Loss: 24 August 1967 Country of Loss: South Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 141813N 1075140E (ZA087831) Status (in 1973): Missing In Action Category: 4 Acft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1H Other Personnel in Incident: Kenneth B. Goff; Ronald L. Holtzman; Richard Schell (all missing); Dayton Witherall; Richard N. Morrison; John R. Ulp; Cynthia Colburn (all rescued); Sterling A. Wall (died, body recovered) REMARKS: SYNOPSIS: On August 24, 1967, WO Dayton Witherall, pilot; WO Richard N Morrison, aircraft commander; SP4 Richard L Holtzman, gunner; SP4 Richard M Allard, crewchief; 2Lt Kenneth B Goff, 2Lt Richard J Schell, Sgt Major John R Ulp, 1Lt Sterling A Wall, and Miss Cynthia Colburn, passengers; were aboard a UH1C helicopter (serial #66-12526) which departed Plei Kleng, South Vietnam to Plei Krong, South Vietnam on a combat support liaison mission. The 4th Infantry, with the assistance of the 25th Infantry Division and 1st Cavalry (Airmobile), was at that time conducting an operation called Paul Revere IV, a continuing effort near the Cambodian border of Pleiku Province. The UH1H flying over Pleiku Province that day in August 1966 was flying out of Pleiku, where its crew and passengers were stationed. (NOTE: While the U.S. Army and describes the flight mission as combat-related, it also acknowledges that Ms. Colburn was on the aircraft, a situation which was "illegal", as women serving in Vietnam were not supposed to be placed in combat situations. It is not clear in public record why she was on the aircraft, although Phyllis Allard, Richard Allard's mother, has said that the aircraft was carrying passengers enroute from a hospital and that Colburn was a Red Cross worker.) During the flight, the pilot elected to fly low-level along the Dak Bla River. While attempting a 180 degree turn, the aircraft failed to recover and was caught in a severe downdraft and crashed into the Krong Bo Lah River in about 10 feet of water at a point where the current was swift and the water was deep. (NOTE: loss coordinates place the site of loss unquestionably on the Se San River about 15 miles southwest of the city of Kontum, and about 28 NAM VET Newsletter Page 40 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 miles due south of the city of Dak To. Just south of Dak To is the juncture of the Se San and another river. Whether at this juncture the two rivers have other names cannot be determined with materials on hand at the time of this writing. Information provided by family members states that the aircraft landed in the "bottomless, rapid Boc River called Dak Bla".) Rescue helicopters arrived 10 - 45 minutes after the crash and rescued WO Morrison, WO Witherall, Ms Colburn and Sgt. Major Ulp, after their having been swept several hundred feet downstream. 2Lt. Goff, SP4 Allard and 2Lt. Schell were not seen by any of the survivors after the crash. SP4 Holtzman was seen by WO Morrison, who stated that Holtzman was wearing a flight jacket, armor plate, and a flak jacket, and called out to Morrison that he could not swim. WO Morrison stated that Holtzman drifted away in the swift current before he could help him. Later searches of the area revealed several pieces of debris, but the aircraft itself was not found. In September, Lt. Wall's body was retrieved from the river. Searches were conducted through December 26, but neither the aircraft nor the four missing men aboard it were found. Richard Allard's mother received a collect call from Cambodia a few days after the crash by someone she believed was Richard. She subsequently had the call checked by Illinois Bell and states that the results "produced evidence that they [the crew] were in the hands of the enemy". In 1970 she saw a prisoner on television in a Viet Cong film which she believed was Richard. The Army was elusive in its conclusions on both events, so Mrs. Allard borrowed money from friends to go to Cambodia in January of 1972. Through a series of events which belong in a spy novel, Mrs. Allard said that she found herself in a cave where she was blindfolded and led into a bare room. An official and a soldier came in with her son. In the moments he was allowed to stay, he said, "Shame on you for coming." He apparently was afraid for his mother's safety. The Army later said they couldn't believe Mrs. Allard's account unless the Communists corroborated it in writing. Mrs. Allard has worked continually for 22 years for information about her son. In 1969, a communist defector was shown a number of photographs of missing men. One of the photos he identified positively as being a prisoner of war was Richard Schell. The U.S. could not determine why the photo was selected. Clearly, all the evidence is not in on the events of Aug 24, 1967. Whether Mrs. Allard's story is true is unknown. Whether Allard and Schell were truly prisoners can only be known by the communists, and of course, Allard and Schell themselves. The Vietnamese deny any knowledge of any of the four missing. NAM VET Newsletter Page 41 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Bio of Daniel Vernor Borah, Jr. by: Rick Stolz NAM VET MIA-POW Section Editor The Reunion BBS - Okauchee, Wisconsin (414) 567-0437 CASE SYNOPSIS: BORAH, DANIEL VERNOR, JR. Name: Daniel Vernor Borah, Jr. Rank/Branch: O3/US Navy (Reserve) Unit: Attack Squadron 155, USS ORISKANY (CV-34) Date of Birth: 18 June 1946 Home City of Record: Olney IL Date of Loss: 24 September 1972 Country of Loss: South Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 164635N 1072035E (YD140540) Status (in 1973): Prisoner Of War Category: 1 Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A7B Other Personnel In Incident: (none missing) REMARKS: ALIVE IN CHUTE-NO MORE CONTACT SYNOPSIS: On September 24, 1972, Lt. Daniel Borah launched from the USS ORISKANY in his A7B Corsair II subsonic attack plane as the flight leader of a two plane strike against North Vietnamese troops entrenched in bunkers northwest of the city of Quang Tri, South Vietnam. They were directed to the target area by a Forward Air Controller aircraft (FAC). Lt. Borah and his wingman began their initial bombing run as briefed. Due to an improper switch setting, the wingman expended his entire ordnance load on the first load instead of the several runs that were briefed for. He then proceeded to a holding position at 13,000 feet overhead the target to observe Borah's succeeding bombing runs. During the second run, Borah's aircraft was seen to draw a barrage of 37mm anti-aircraft fire. His wingman radioed for evasive action, then almost immediately saw Borah's aircraft burst into flames. The FAC saw Borah eject safely from the aircraft and later established emergency radio contact with him for 10-15 seconds. No other contact was received during the following two days of search and rescue efforts. Intelligence reports indicated that North Vietnamese soldiers removed Borah's parachute from a tree within half hour of his landing on the ground, and he is believed to have been captured alive. When the war ended, and 591 Americans were released from Vietnamese prisons, Borah was not among them. The Vietnamese deny knowledge of his fate. As thousands of reports of Americans still alive in captivity accumulate, Borah's family must wonder if he is still alive waiting for his country to bring him home. Whether Borah is still alive is unknown. What is certain, however, is someone knows what happened to him. It's time we got answers and brought our men home. NAM VET Newsletter Page 42 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Bio of Albert Pitt by: Rick Stolz NAM VET MIA-POW Section Editor The Reunion BBS - Okauchee, Wisconsin (414) 567-0437 CASE SYNOPSIS: PITT, ALBERT Name: Albert Pitt Rank/Branch: O3/US Marine Corps Unit: VMFA 315, MAG 11 Date of Birth: 30 November 1934 Home City of Record: Hemstead NY Date of Loss: 24 January 1966 Country of Loss: South Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 161900N 1073900E (YD830065) Status (in 1973): Missing In Action Category: 4 Acft/Vehicle/Ground: F4B Other Personnel in Incident: Lawrence N. Helber (missing); on another F4B same date, same coordinates: Doyle R. Sprick; Delmar G. Booze (both missing) REMARKS: SYNOPSIS: Capt. Doyle R. Sprick was the pilot and 2Lt. Delmar G. Booze his navigator/bombardier on board an F4B Phantom fighter jet flying out of Da Nang Airbase, South Vietnam on January 24, 1966. Sprick and Booze were part of a multi-aircraft strike mission during a Christmas moratorium. At some point during their mission, while over Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam and about 10 miles south of the city of Hue, the aircraft flown by Sprick and Booze went down. Both men were declared Missing in Action. Another F4B, apparently on the same strike mission, was downed at the same location on that day. This aircraft was also flying out of VMFA 314, 11th Marine Air Group, and presumably departed Da Nang as well. The second Phantom was flown by Capt. Albert Pitt, accompanied by navigator 2Lt. Lawrence N. Helber. This aircraft disappeared after striking a target. The last contact with the aircraft was a report that their strike on the target had been successful. Helber and Pitt were declared Missing in Action. All four Marines lost that day were also given a clarifying code indicating the degree of enemy knowledge of their fates. These four were all classified Category 4, which means U.S. Intelligence has no information to indicate that the Vietnamese know their fates. According to Doyle Sprick's twin brother, Duane, searches were conducted for the aircraft which were extensive and thorough for the time and condition. The Da Nang area, according to Duane, was unfriendly, so the search and rescue was fairly restricted since the area was "owned by the Viet Cong at the time." In 1969, the Central Intelligence Agency received a rather extensive and detailed report relating to a POW camp near the city of Hue in which scores of Americans had been held. When asked to review photographs of Americans still missing, the source giving NAM VET Newsletter Page 43 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 the information positively identified Albert Pitt as having been detained in this camp. This identification was made on April 11, 1969. The source also listed the Viet Cong Huong Thuy District Committee members and provided sketches of the committee's headquarters and POW camp. The U.S. intelligence community determined that it could not "be determined why the source selected (Pitt's) photograph" as he "was never seen by other US PWs following his loss incident". The source was summarily dismissed, and his information discounted. The report was classified. Over 15 years later, this report was unearthed by a concerned citizen through the Freedom of Information Act. He immediately contacted the family of one of the men on the "positive ID" list, and was shocked to learn that they had never been told of the report's existence, nor did they have any clue that their son could possibly have been captured. Since that time, the lengthy report was distributed widely, and came into the hands of two of the men whose name appeared on the "Positive ID" list who had been fortunate enough to be released in 1973 by the North Vietnamese. These returned POWs verified the accuracy of the report insofar as the compound was concerned and added that it was a "way station", or temporary holding center in which POWs were held only for brief periods of time. Thus, they were not surprised to see many names on the list of men they had not seen at this facility. Since American involvement in the Vietnam war ended in 1975, nearly 10,000 reports concerning Americans missing in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S. Government. Less than 200 of them have been determined to be false, or fabricated reports. Many have been correlated to individuals who returned to the U.S. in 1973. In late 1989 about 125 cases were still under investigation, undergoing the "closest scrutiny" the U.S. intelligence community could give them. Thus far, according to the U.S. Government, it has not been possible to resolve these cases as false or true. Many authorities are convinced that hundreds of Americans are still being held prisoner in Southeast Asia. If Albert Pitt was accurately identified by the Vietnamese source in 1969, he has been criminally abandoned by the country he proudly served. If Albert Pitt could be forgotten and be held unseen by other American POWs, why not Sprick? Booze? Helber? Why not several hundred of the nearly 2500 still missing? If they are alive, why are they not home? Are we doing enough to learn the fates of our heroes? Prepared by Homecoming II Project 01 December 1989. NAM VET Newsletter Page 44 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Bio of Henry Muir Serex by: Rick Stolz NAM VET MIA-POW Section Editor The Reunion BBS - Okauchee, Wisconsin (414) 567-0437 CASE SYNOPSIS: SEREX, HENRY MUIR Name: Henry Muir Serex Rank/Branch: O4/US Air Force Unit: 30th Air Division Date of Birth: 09 May 1931 Home City of Record: New Orleans LA (family in CA) Date of Loss: 02 April 1972 Country of Loss: South Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 165000N 1070100E (YD146612) Status (in 1973): Missing In Action Category: 2 Acft/Vehicle/Ground: EB66E ("Bat 21") Personnel in Incident: April 2: Robin F. Gatwood; Wayne L. Bolte; Anthony Giannangeli; Charles A. Levis; Henry M. Serex; (all missing from the EB66). LtCol. Iceal Hambleton (rescued after 12 days from EB66). Ronald P. Paschall; Byron K. Kulland; John W. Frink (all missing from UH1H rescue helicopter), Jose M. Astorga (captured and released in 1973 from UH1H). April 3: William J. Henderson (captured and released in 1973 from OV10A rescue craft); Mark Clark (rescued after 12 days from OV10A rescue craft). April 6: James H. Alley; Allen J. Avery; Peter H. Chapman; John H. Call; William R. Pearson; Roy D. Prater (all KIA/BNR from HH53C "Jolly 52" rescue chopper). Also in very close proximity to "Bat 21"on April 3: Allen D. Christensen; Douglas L. O'Neil; Edward W. Williams; Larry A. Zich (all missing from UH1H). April 7: Bruce Charles Walker (evaded 11 days); Larry F. Potts (captured & died in POW camp) (both missing from OV10A). REMARKS: SYNOPSIS: On the afternoon of April 2, 1972, two Thailand-based EB66 aircraft (Bat 21 and Bat 22), from the 30th Air Division, were flying pathfinder escort for a cell of B52s bombing near the DMZ. Bat 21 took a direct SAM hit and the plane went down. A single beeper signal was heard, that of navigator Col. Iceal Hambleton. At this time it was assumed the rest of the crew died in the crash. The crew included Maj. Wayne L. Bolte, pilot; 1Lt. Robin F. Gatwood, LtCol. Anthony R. Giannangeli, LtCol. Charles A. Levis, and Maj. Henry M. Serex, all crew members. It should be noted that the lowest ranking man aboard this plane was Gatwood, a First Lieutenant. This was not an ordinary crew, and its members, particularly Hambleton, would be a prize capture for the enemy because of military knowledge they possessed. It became critical, therefore, that the U.S. locate Hambleton, and any other surviving crew members before the Vietnamese did - and the Vietnamese were trying hard to find them first. NAM VET Newsletter Page 45 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 An Army search and rescue team was nearby and dispatched two UH1H "slicks" and two UH1B "Cobras". When they approached Hambleton's position just before dark, at about 50 feet off the ground, with one of the AH1G Cobra gunships flying at 300 feet for cover, two of the helicopters were shot down. One, the Cobra (Blue Ghost 28) reached safety and the crew was picked up, without having seen the other downed helicopter. The other, a UH1H from F Troop, 8th Cavalry, 196th Brigade, had just flown over some huts into a clearing when they encountered ground fire, and the helicopter exploded. Jose Astorga, the gunner, was injured in the chest and knee by the gunfire. Astorga became unconscious, and when he recovered, the helicopter was on the ground. He found the pilot, 1Lt. Byron K. Kulland, lying outside the helicopter. WO John W. Frink, the co-pilot, was strapped in his seat and conscious. The crew chief, SP5 Ronald P. Paschall, was pinned by his leg in the helicopter, but alive. WO Franks urged Astorga to leave them, and Astorga was captured. He soon observed the aircraft to be hit by automatic weapons fire, and to explode with the rest of the crew inside. He never saw the rest of the crew again. Astorga was released by the North Vietnamese in 1973. The following day, Nail 38, an OV10A equipped with electronic rescue gear enabling its crew to get a rapid "fix" on its rescue target entered Hambleton's area and was shot down. The crew, William J. Henderson and Mark Clark, both parachuted out safely. Henderson was captured and released in 1973. Clark evaded for 12 days and was subsequently rescued. On April 3, the day Nail 38 was shot down, a UH1H "slick" went down in the same area carrying a crew of four enlisted Army personnel. They had no direct connection to the rescue of Bat 21, but were very probably shot down by the same SAM installations that downed Bat 21. The helicopter, from H/HQ, 37th Signal Battalion, 1st Signal Brigade, had left Marble Mountain Airfield, Da Nang, on a standard resupply mission to signal units in and around Quang Tri City. The crew, consisting of WO Douglas L. O'Neil, pilot; CW2 Larry A. Zich, co-pilot; SP5 Allen D. Christensen, crew chief; and SP4 Edward W. Williams, gunner; remain missing in action. On April 6, an attempt was made to pick up Clark and Hambleton which resulted in an HH53C helicopter being shot down. The chopper was badly hit. The helicopter landed on its side and continued to burn, consuming the entire craft, and presumably, all 6 men aboard. The crew of this aircraft consisted of James H. Alley; Allen J. Avery, John H. Call III, Peter H. Chapman, William R. Pearson, and Roy D. Prater. Search and rescue noted no signs of survivors, but it is felt that the Vientamese probably know the fate of this crew because of the close proximity of the downed aircraft to enemy locations. On April 7 another Air Force OV10A went down in the area with Larry Potts and Bruce Walker aboard. Walker, the Air Force pilot of the aircraft, evaded capture 11 days, while it is reported that Potts was captured and died in Quang Binh prison. Potts, the observer, was a Marine Corps officer. Walker's last radio transmission to search and rescue was for SAR not to make an attempt to rescue, the enemy was closing in. Both men remain unaccounted for. NAM VET Newsletter Page 46 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Hambleton and Clark were rescued after 12 incredible days. Hambleton continually changed positions and reported on enemy activity as he went, even to the extent of calling in close air strikes near his position. He was tracked by a code he devised relating to the length and lie direction of various golf holes he knew well. Another 20 or so Americans were not so fortunate. In July 1986, the daughter of Henry Serex learned that, one week after all search and rescue had been "called off" for Bat 21, another mission was mounted to recover "another downed crewmember" from Bat 21. She doesn't know whether or not it is her father or another man on the EB66 aircraft. No additional information has been released. When the movie "Bat 21" was released, she was horrified to learn that virtually no mention of the rest of the crew, including her father, was made. In Vietnam, to most fighting men, the man that fought beside them, whether in the air or on the ground, was worth dying for. Each understood that the other would die for him if necessary. Thus, also considering the critical knowledge possessed by Col. Hambleton and some of the others, the seemingly uncanny means taken to recover Clark and Hambleton are not so unusual at all. What defies logic and explaination, however, is that the government that sent these men to battle can distort or withhold information to their families, and knowingly abandon hundreds of men known or strongly suspected to be in enemy hands. Thousands of reports have been received by the U.S. Government indicating that Americans are still alive, in captivity in Southeast Asia. It has been 17 years for those who may have survived the 1972 Easter crashes and rescue attempts. How much longer must they wait for their country to bring "peace with honor" to them and bring them home? NAM VET Newsletter Page 47 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 MIA-POW Listings - Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia Delaware, Florida, Georgia by: Rick Stolz NAM VET MIA-POW Section Editor The Reunion BBS - Okauchee, Wisconsin (414) 567-0437 DIA INFORMATION ABBREVIATIONS ( ), STATE DEPT./JCRC FILES REM.......Remains (AA)......AWOL, absent without leave (BB)......KIA/BNR, killed in action/body not recovered (BR)......BNR, body not recovered (CC)......detainee after March 1975 (EE)......escapee (KK)......DIC, died in captivity (KR)......died in captivity/body returned (MM)......missing in action (PP)......prisoner of war (RR)......returnee (HH)......returnee during Operation Homecoming (XX)......PFOD, legal status change from a live category (POW/MIA) to Declared dead by court order. (NR)......remains returned as a result of US negotiation efforts, after December 1975 --........not recorded ( Has_Bio )..... Additional Information on POW - Mia Available through POW Network Or Reunion BBS: POW Network: Reunion BBS: Data : 319-386-7697 414-567-0437 Voice: 414-567-5833 MIA / POW's From Colorado INCIDENT--BIO-LNAME--------FNAME-------- BRANCH STAT 06-Mar-68 N ANSELMO WILLIAM F. USAF BB 08-Jun-67 Y APODACA VICTOR J. USAF XX 17-Mar-68 Y BARBER THOMAS D. USN BB 05-Dec-68 Y BERRY JOHN A. ARMY BB 29-Apr-66 N BOSTON LEO S. USAF XX 24-Dec-68 Y BROWNLEE CHARLES R. USAF XX 27-Jul-67 N CORBITT GILLAND W. USAF XX 18-Jun-72 Y DANIELSON MARK G. USAF XX 19-Nov-67 Y DE HERRERA BENJAMIN D. ARMY BB 19-May-65 Y DONOVAN LEROY M. ARMY BB 07-Oct-66 Y GILCHRIST ROBERT M. USAF XX 12-Sep-65 N GREEN GERALD USN BB 14-Mar-68 Y HAMM JAMES E. USAF XX 11-Jun-67 Y HANRATTY THOMAS M. USMC BB 13-Aug-69 Y HANSEN LESTER A. ARMY XX 11-Sep-69 N HELWIG ROGER D. USAF BB 18-May-65 Y HRDLICKA DAVID L. USAF XX 08-Dec-66 N HYDE MICHAEL L. USAF BC 15-May-75 Y JACQUES JAMES J. USMC BB 03-Apr-69 Y JEFFERSON PERRY H. USAF XX 12-Jan-67 N KEMP CLAYTON C. JR. USN BB 02-Oct-69 Y KOHLER DELVIN L. USN BB 19-Sep-68 N LA VOO JOHN A. USMC BB NAM VET Newsletter Page 48 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 24-Aug-68 N LADEWIG MELVIN E. USAF XX 02-Dec-67 Y LEEPER WALLACE W. ARMY XX 20-Sep-65 Y MARTIN DUANE W. USAF KK 02-Mar-70 N MC VEY LAVOY D. USMC BB 22-May-68 Y MITCHELL THOMAS B. USAF XX 22-Aug-67 N MORGAN BURKE H. USAF BB 03-Jun-66 N MULLINS HAROLD E. USAF XX 31-Jul-67 Y PACKARD RONALD L. USAF XX 08-Mar-67 Y PAWLISH GEORGE F. USN XX 14-May-66 Y RALSTON FRANK D. III USAF XX 19-Apr-68 Y SHAFER PHILIP R. ARMY XX 29-Jan-67 N SILVA CLAUDE A. USAF XX 12-May-68 Y SIMPSON JOSEPH L. ARMY XX 26-Nov-71 Y STEADMAN JAMES E. USAF XX 11-Sep-69 N STEARNS ROGER H. USAF BB 26-Feb-71 Y SWANSON JON E. ARMY BB 24-Dec-71 Y TUCKER TIMOTHY M. USAF XX 07-Apr-72 Y WALKER BRUCE C. USAF XX MIA / POW's From Connecticut INCIDENT--BIO-LNAME--------FNAME---------BRANCH STAT 04-Mar-66 Y ANDREWS STUART M USAF XX 26-Apr-67 Y AUSTIN CHARLES D. USAF XX 23-Mar-61 Y BANKOWSKI ALFONS A. USAF BB 23-Aug-68 Y BERGEVIN CHARLES L. USAF XX 29-Apr-70 Y BISHOP EDWARD J. JR. ARMY XX 19-Apr-66 N BROWN JOSEPH O. USAF BB 24-Mar-66 Y BUSH ROBERT E. USAF XX 10-Oct-72 N CLEARY PETER M. USAF XX 30-Jun-67 Y COLE LEGRANDE O. JR USN XX 17-Jun-66 Y COLLETTE CURTIS D. USN BB 21-Apr-68 Y CREAMER JAMES E. ARMY XX 26-Apr-72 Y DUNN RICHARD E. USAF BB 10-May-68 Y FRITSCH THOMAS W. USMC BB 05-Jan-68 Y GALLAGHER JOHN T. ARMY XX 18-May-66 Y GUILLET ANDRE R. USAF XX 21-Mar-68 Y HESFORD PETER D. USAF XX 11-Jun-72 Y HOLM ARNOLD E. JR. ARMY BB 11-Jun-72 Y HOLM ARNOLD E. JR. ARMY BB 10-Feb-66 Y HUNTER RUSSELL P. JR. USAF XX 22-Sep-68 N KUHLMANN CHARLES F. USAF BB 20-Dec-72 Y LERNER IRWIN S. USAF XX 13-Dec-68 Y MC GOULDRICK FRANCIS J. JR. USAF XX 31-Mar-65 N MC KINLEY GERALD W. USN BB 05-Jun-68 N MC MANUS TRUMAN J. USMC BB 29-Jan-71 Y MIXTER DAVID I. ARMY BB 02-Mar-71 N MORIARTY PETER G. USAF BB 02-Oct-69 Y MOSER PAUL K. USN BB 22-Apr-66 N NICKERSON WILLIAM B. USN BB 20-Jul-66 N NOBERT CRAIG R. USAF XX 01-Sep-67 N OTT EDWARD L. III USN BB 10-May-68 Y PERRY THOMAS H. ARMY XX 09-Apr-70 N PFAFFMANN CHARLES B. USN BB 01-Feb-66 Y PREVOST ALBERT M. USMC BB 19-May-67 N RICH RICHARD USN XX 22-Apr-70 Y ROWLEY CHARLES S. USAF XX 10-Jun-65 Y SAEGAERT DONALD R. ARMY BB 25-Mar-66 N SHERMAN JOHN B. USMC BB 18-Oct-66 Y SHONECK JOHN R. USAF XX NAM VET Newsletter Page 49 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 18-Oct-65 Y THORNE LARRY A. ARMY BB 21-Dec-72 Y WALSH FRANCIS A. USAF XX 17-May-70 N WESTWOOD NORMAN P. JR. USN BB MIA / POW's From Dist. of Columbia INCIDENT--BIO-LNAME--------FNAME---------BRANCH STAT 05-Feb-66 N ASMUSSEN GLENN E. USN BB 14-Jul-69 Y BUTLER DEWEY R. ARMY BB 26-Apr-72 Y COOKE CALVIN C. JR. USAF BB 01-Apr-67 Y GOVAN ROBERT A. USAF XX 09-Jan-68 Y GREEN NORMAN M. USAF XX 21-Apr-68 Y LINK ROBERT C. ARMY XX 24-Mar-67 Y STEWART JACK T. ARMY XX 12-May-67 Y STEWART ROBERT A. USAF XX 22-Aug-72 N TIGNER LEE M. USAF XX MIA / POW's From Delaware INCIDENT--BIO-LNAME--------FNAME---------BRANCH STAT 18-Jun-72 Y AYRES GERALD F. USAF XX 15-Jul-68 N BIRD LEONARD A. USMC BB 17-Jun-66 Y HESS GENE K. USAF BB 07-Apr-72 Y POTTS LARRY F. USMC XX 21-Jul-68 N WILLING EDWARD A. USMC XX MIA / POW's From Florida INCIDENT--BIO-LNAME--------FNAME---------BRANCH STAT 31-Oct-65 Y ADAMS SAMUEL USAF KK 26-Mar-70 Y ALLEN HENRY L. USAF XX 06-Apr-72 Y ALLEY JAMES H. USAF BB 07-Mar-71 Y ARD RANDOLPH J. ARMY XX 04-Aug-67 Y BISZ RALPH C. USN XX 24-Oct-72 N BIXEL MICHAEL S. USN BB 02-Mar-69 Y BOGIAGES CHRISTO C. JR. USAF XX 28-Mar-68 Y BROWN GEORGE R. ARMY XX 06-Sep-66 N BUNDY NORMAN L. USN BB 24-Jul-68 Y BUSH JOHN R. USAF XX 24-Apr-72 Y CARTER GEORGE W. ARMY BB 13-Mar-68 N COLLINS GUY F. USAF BB 24-Nov-69 Y COMER HOWARD B. JR. ARMY BB 01-Jun-65 N CROSBY FREDERICK P. USN BB 02-May-70 Y CROWSON FREDERICK H. ARMY RR 03-Nov-71 Y DE CAIRE JACK L. ARMY BB 08-Jan-73 Y DEANE WILLIAM L. ARMY XX 20-Oct-68 Y DEITSCH CHARLES E. ARMY XX 20-Mar-71 N DILLENDER WILLIAM E. ARMY BB 03-Mar-71 Y DUBBELD ORIE J. JR. ARMY BB 29-Aug-68 Y DUNCAN ROBERT R. USN XX 06-Apr-72 N DUNLOP THOMAS E. USN XX 05-Feb-68 N EDGAR ROBERT J. USAF XX 17-Nov-67 N EMRICH ROGER G. USN XX 01-Aug-66 N FINNEY ARTHUR T. USAF XX 19-Aug-69 Y FLANIGAN JOHN N. USMC XX 10-May-68 Y FLEMING HORACE H. III USMC XX 11-Jun-68 N FORD RANDOLPH W. USN KK 12-Nov-66 N FROSIO ROBERT C. USN BB 13-Jul-65 Y GALLANT HENRY J. ARMY BB 24-Mar-70 Y GANOE BERMAN JR. ARMY XX 09-Oct-69 Y GARBETT JIMMY R. ARMY BB 05-Oct-70 Y GASSMAN FRED A. ARMY BB NAM VET Newsletter Page 50 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 23-Apr-70 Y GOMEZ ROBERT A. USAF XX 11-Jun-72 Y HACKETT JAMES E. ARMY BB 05-Sep-67 N HANSON THOMAS P. USAF XX 21-Dec-72 Y HART THOMAS T. III USAF XX 05-Jan-68 Y HARTNEY JAMES C. USAF XX 06-Jul-66 Y HESTLE ROOSEVELT L JR.USAF XX 07-Jan-70 Y HOFF MICHAEL G. USN XX 10-Feb-66 N HOPPS GARY D. USN BB 23-Mar-72 N JACKSON JAMES T. USAF BB 22-Aug-67 N KERR JOHN C. USAF BB 17-Jun-70 Y LAKER CARL J. ARMY BB 03-Jun-67 Y LANEY BILLY R. ARMY XX 19-Jun-64 Y LEDBETTER THOMAS I. ARMY BB 27-Mar-72 Y MANOR JAMES USAF BB 04-Apr-67 N MARTIN DAVID E. USN BB 23-Dec-70 Y MC ANDREWS MICHAEL W. ARMY BB 07-Jul-67 N MC LAUGHLIN OLEN B. USAF BB 14-Jun-73 Y MC LEOD DAVID V. JR. USAF BB 18-Jun-72 Y MERCER JACOB E. USAF XX 20-Aug-66 N MILIKIN RICHARD M. USAF XX 10-May-67 Y MILLER MALCOM T. USN NR 18-Mar-69 Y MURPHY BARRY D. ARMY BB 31-Jul-69 Y NEAL DENNIS P. ARMY XX 11-Apr-70 N NELSON JAN J. USMC BB 01-Sep-66 N NICHOLS HUBERT C. USAF XX 13-Mar-66 Y OLSON GERALD E. USAF XX 24-Sep-65 N OSBORN GEOFFREY H. USN BB 29-Dec-67 Y OSBORNE EDWIN N. JR. USAF XX 12-May-72 Y OSTERMEYER WILLIAM H. USAF XX 04-Mar-70 N PARKER JOHN J. USN BB 24-Apr-68 Y PARKER WOODROW W. USAF XX 05-Feb-70 Y PARSELS JOHN W. ARMY RR 03-Jul-66 N PHILLIPS DAVID J. JR. USAF BB 28-Sep-66 Y PITTMAN ROBERT E. ARMY BB 09-Mar-67 N PUTNAM CHARLES L. USN XX 24-Aug-68 N READ CHARLES H. JR. USAF XX 16-May-68 Y RICKEL DAVID J. USAF XX 07-Jun-66 N SANDNER ROBERT L. USAF BB 07-Jun-66 N SANDNER ROBERT L. USAF BB 16-Mar-71 N SCRIVENER STEPHEN R. USAF BB 29-Jul-66 Y SMITH HERBERT E. USAF XX 10-Jan-69 N SPROTT ARTHUR R. JR. USAF BB 15-Mar-66 Y STEWART PETER J. USAF XX 07-Jan-68 N STONE JAMES M. ARMY BB 18-Dec-72 N THOMAS ROBERT J. USAF NR 25-Nov-71 Y THOMAS JAMES R. USAF XX 15-Nov-66 N TIMMONS BRUCE A. USN BB 22-Mar-71 Y TRAVER JOHN G. III ARMY BB 12-Feb-67 N WEISSMUELLER COURTNEY E. USAF XX 24-Nov-69 N WHITE JAMES B. USAF XX 10-May-72 N WILKINSON DENNIS E. USAF NR 03-Oct-66 Y WILLIAMS EDDIE L. ARMY XX 03-Apr-72 Y WILLIAMS EDWARD W. ARMY XX 25-May-69 N WILLIAMS LEROY C. USMC BB 29-Mar-72 Y YOUNG BARCLAY B. USAF XX MIA / POW's From Georgia INCIDENT--BIO-LNAME--------FNAME---------BRANCH STAT 20-Mar-71 N BARKER JACK L. ARMY BB NAM VET Newsletter Page 51 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 27-Aug-67 N BOGGS PASCHAL G. USMC XX 14-Dec-66 N BRIGHAM ALBERT USMC BB 27-Mar-68 Y CALHOUN JOHNNY C. ARMY XX 07-Nov-72 N CARROLL JOHN L. USAF BB 31-May-66 Y CASE THOMAS F. USAF XX 16-Jun-68 N CHANDLER ANTHONY G. USN BB 08-May-68 Y CONDREY GEORGE T. III ARMY BB 27-Oct-67 N CONNER LORENZA USAF XX 24-Apr-66 Y COOPER WILLIAM E. USAF XX 18-Aug-69 N DAVIS DANIEL R. USAF XX 21-Dec-72 Y DICKENS DELMA E. USAF XX 12-Dec-70 Y DUCKETT THOMAS A. USAF XX 20-Oct-66 Y EDWARDS HARRY S. JR. USN XX 17-Oct-67 Y FITZGERALD PAUL L. JR. ARMY XX 01-Aug-68 Y FOWLER DONALD R. ARMY XX 27-Jul-68 Y FULLERTON FRANK E. USN XX 19-Feb-68 Y GRIFFITH ROBERT S. ARMY XX 06-May-69 N HAGAN JOHN R. USMC XX 29-Oct-68 Y HARRISON DONALD L. ARMY XX 07-Jul-70 Y HOWARD LEWIS J. ARMY XX 21-Sep-69 Y JACKSON JAMES W. JR. USMC MM 28-Nov-72 Y JONES BOBBY M. USAF XX 03-Oct-66 Y JONES JAMES E. ARMY XX 18-Jun-72 N KILPATRICK LARRY R. USN XX 05-Mar-71 Y KING MICHAEL E. ARMY BB 21-Dec-72 Y KIRBY BOBBY A. USAF XX 03-Nov-70 Y KITCHENS PERRY C. ARMY BR 21-Dec-72 Y KROBOTH STANLEY N. USAF XX 20-Aug-68 N LINDBLOOM CHARLES D. USN BB 19-Apr-68 Y LORD ARTHUR JAMES ARMY XX 04-Oct-67 Y MC DANIEL MORRIS L. JR. USAF XX 18-Jun-70 N MC LAMB HARRY L. USAF BB 02-Dec-66 N MC RAE DAVID E. USN XX 29-Aug-65 N MC WHORTER HENRY S. USN BC 23-Apr-70 Y MURPHY LARRON D. ARMY XX 21-Nov-64 N NIPPER DAVID USMC BB 06-Feb-69 Y PARKER DAVID W. ARMY BB 22-May-68 Y PATE GARY USAF XX 12-May-67 Y PITMAN PETER P. USAF XX 15-May-66 Y PRESTON JAMES A. USAF XX 06-Mar-68 Y SEWARD WILLIAM H. USMC BB 06-Mar-67 Y SMALL BURT C. ARMY XX 16-Jun-73 Y SMALLWOOD JOHN J. USAF XX 15-Mar-67 N SMITH DEAN JR. USN BB 19-Jun-64 Y TALLEY JAMES L. ARMY BB 06-Feb-68 Y THOMPSON MELVIN C. USN BB 16-Apr-68 N TODD LARRY R. USAF BB 10-Oct-69 Y WEISNER FRANKLIN L. ARMY XX 05-Apr-72 Y WINDELER CHARLES C. JR. ARMY BB 17-Sep-72 N ZORN THOMAS O. JR. USAF BB NAM VET Newsletter Page 52 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 ================================================================== M e m o r i e s n ' S p e c i a l A r t i c l e s ================================================================== Vet Feels A Monument's Embrace by: Jan S. Gerstner 1049 Milwaukee Street Delafield, WI 53018-1626 (414) 646-8965 <1200 N81N> Copyright 1983, Lake Country Reporter, Hartland, WI Reprinted and distributed with permission. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Bio of Jan Gerstner (Note: updated since publication) Jan Gerstner was in the USAF from 1968 through 1976. He served in Vietnam during 1970 and 1971, flying the C-7 Caribou for the 458th TAS, based at Cam Ranh Bay. In addition to the Caribou, he flew missions in fighter bombers and anything else into which he -in his own words- could con his way. Gerstner first visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. on January 27, 1983. He is now employed as chief pilot for Milwaukee Jet of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and lives in Delafield, Wisconsin. As a pilot, Gerstner always keeps a log book and says he often writes down his experiences in detail. He writes for aviation magazines, and collected material for two programs that were broadcast by KTXT Public TV in Lubbock, Texas. Today, he is collecting material for a book about the CV-2/C-7 Caribou, as it was operated by the Army and the USAF. Gerstner, a native of Illinois, and his wife, Kay, have lived in Delafield since 1978. They have three children. ----------------------------------------------------------------- As I walk through the Smithsonian Mall, a cold but not bitter wind pulls at my clothes and nips at my cheeks. The weather seems almost reflective of my mood. The sky is mostly gray and overcast, but occasionally it breaks out in blue - it can't yet make up its mind. I've heard a lot about the Vietnam Memorial. It's an ugly scar on the ground, it's inadequate, it's stunning, it over/understates its message. I've been told over and over again how I am supposed to react to it. The press has built such an atmosphere about it that this pretty setting seems like the wrong place. The National Mall of Constitution Gardens should be bustling with press, people and protesters. Since my approach is from the east, it takes me past the Washington Monument. Now THERE is a monument to a hero! The "Father of Our Country." It seems funny to me that we refer to NAM VET Newsletter Page 53 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 him as such, much in the way the old world countries referred to their kings as "sire," no doubt. This stone obelisk thrusts skyward and is visible for miles, a symbol known and seen around the world. Obviously, something important is here. Standing by it, one has a spectacular view of the Lincoln Memorial, beyond the Reflecting Pool. But though I know exactly where to look for the Vietnam Memorial, I cannot see it at all, even through the leaf-bare trees. SEEN FROM THE AIR My first view of it actually came from the air. "It's big," I was told, and so I expected it to be. "It's cut down into the ground, a giant `V'," I was told. And so it is. It lies in the northwest corner of the Gardens, dwarfed, really, because it is narrow and is cut into the ground, by both the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, and by the Reflecting Pool. From the cockpit of an aircraft snaking its way south along the Potomac, it looks not so much live a wide "V" as it does the hands of a clock, forever fixing some hour. On the ground now, less than 200 feet from it, I can finally see the Memorial from the sidewalk. With the memories of how so many other "war memorials" look, I walk still closer. But there are no gallant riders on gallant horses, with swords drawn as they fly into the fray amidst nude, busty women, heedless of the bullets and bomb bursts. Even at the very tip of the V's arms you will not find a great brass plaque proclaiming the names of the great leaders of THIS war. To receive the message of this memorial, you will have to go very close, close enough to read the half-inch high letters that cover each increasingly taller stone column as you walk to the apex of the "V." THE NAMES OF THE DEAD What you will read in the words formed of these letters is not an account of some heroic act, or of some great service to our country. Nor will you read the names of this war's noble architects, engineers and visionaries. You will read the names of the dead. Can there really be more than 57,000 names cut into these stones? I step slowly along the path, reading as fast as I can, and see only a line or two per column. There is no doubt. 57,000, plus. The "V" is formed at an angle of 125 degrees, I read in the guide. Each wall is 250 feet long, with 70 panels. There are 137 lines of five names on the largest panels, and but one line on the smallest. By each name there is as diamond, for dead, or a cross for missing in action. Cold statistics for cold stone. I told myself that my reason for coming here was to find some NAM VET Newsletter Page 54 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 names; that doing so would be my test of this place. I know that the columns are arranged by year, and I am guided by a park service volunteer to the beginning of a year I want. Those names near the top of the taller columns are hard to read, being blurred by the reflection of the sky, and so, like others, I step up close to the stone and shade my eyes to read. I then find that I must stoop to read those near the bottom. I search the four columns twice and cannot find the first name. The park service volunteer helps me again. And there he is. I carried him from the rice paddies to Can Tho. Further down the west arm I now find another. Oh, Lord. I saw you go down near Dak Seang. Near his name, another. He died on a nameless, numbered hill. But the last time I saw him he was smiling. Not laughing, I don't think I ever saw him laugh. Just smiling. In the next short while, I found more than one more. With this mission completed, I began looking more at the other people here. There were tourists, just interested I suppose, and school classes, too. But there were also many who came to find a name, as I had. One fellow began to sob after finding so many names from his unit, and he left leaning on a friend's shoulder. Here and there were flowers left by a mother, a father, a wife, a child. THE SUBJECT OF OTHERS One man came with a list. The park service volunteer asked him if these were all members of his unit. No, he said. He was a teacher and wanted to look for the names of the boys who had passed through his classes, and died. I found myself the subject of others. I had knelt to read the names near the bottom of a column, my camera left dangling. But I saw reflected in the stone before me another man who also knelt, raised his camera and took a picture. Not of the stones alone, but of me before them. As I turned, he rejoined his friends, speaking a language I did not recognize. Many of the visitors who were near my own age wore some part of an old uniform. Often a camouflage jacket or shirt bearing a unit patch would be worn over clothes more suited to January in Washington, D.C. Boots were common. So were beards. A number of active duty military men and women came too. Many were too young to have served in Vietnam, but some of the older ones came in full uniform, with rank and medals showing. I knew most of those medals. I have them too. These men seemed not at all self-conscious under my gaze, or at the looks from others. Most of them were here to find a name. Turning around, I had a clear view of all but the base of the NAM VET Newsletter Page 55 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Washington Monument. It dominates the sky to the east, and I can see the Lincoln Memorial well, too, through the leafless trees. The Lincoln would be harder to see in summer, when the trees and bushes are green, but still visible. I doubt that from its steps you would see the low, dark stone of the Vietnam Memorial through the summer foliage. It is hard enough, even now. EMBRACING ARMS Perhaps this is, then, a wholly appropriate structure. A war which was so far from home, so remote to so many, has a memorial that requires one to come very close to it to receive its message, embracing you in its arms as you draw near. I asked myself one question: If this is a memorial to "my" war, why isn't my name here? The answer is simple: I survived. Why then, are these others named here? The answer is again simple: They did not survive. This is not a memorial to a war. It is a memorial to those who fought and died in it. It is a memory, a recognition of their struggles and deaths in a war that so many wish so much to forget that the human loss has been forgotten, too. I looked around some more. The earth is still bare around the monument, like that around a new grave, and a wooden plank walk has been laid over it to approach the stone. Perhaps this earth so near the names should be planted in rice. The memorial might appear very different had it been built with public funds. It might be oh-so-similar to the many other monu- ments to war and the dead that are much more prominent in the city. Yet one more thing strikes me when I compare this monument to those: the pigeons will not roost in this one. My final minutes at the memorial were punctuated by a familiar sound: the heavy beating of a helicopter's blades. I looked for it to the southeast, over the heads of an MIA information group and their flags. It was low in the trees, so I wasn't sure of it at first, but as it approached the Lincoln Memorial I saw it clearly. It was a military Huey Slick, banking off toward the south. A ship like that was probably the last ride in Vietnam for many of these names. It was nearing noon as I left. A few blocks away I would hear the chimes of a clock and think of the arms of that "V," marking another time. Goodbye my friends. Goodbye. NAM VET Newsletter Page 56 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Two Sons Lost To Vietnam By: Laura Palmer Daily News, Editorial Department 220 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10017 Input by: G. Joseph Peck NAM VETs Managing Editor VETLink #1 - Pittsfield, MA (413) 443-6313 Stephen and Stanley Barrett were born 20 months apart. They died 20 months apart in Vietnam when they were each 19 years old. Stephen was a medic and Stanley was a mechanic. Their father, Oscar Barrett, 66, of Troy, N.Y., was battered by a grief that is as impossible to imagine as it has been to bear. "After all these years, it still hurts," he said, his voice tripping over the tears. "It's a terrible waste. I lost two good boys who were going to make something of themselves. It's all gone out the window. I don't know how else to put it. It's a waste that they couldn't fulfill their dreams." Stephen was a Navy corpsman who had hoped to become a doctor after he got out of the service. His dad describes him as a quiet boy who loved to swim and play softball. "He never cared much for guns, or hunting," his dad remembered. On Jan. 25, 1968, Barrett was killed trying to rescue a Marine up near Da Nang. "He got hit in the leg and right behind the ear like Kennedy did. He had just finished putting an IV in a guy's leg to save him." Years later, the man his son worked frantically to save called Oscar Barrett. "It took him 20 years to work up the courage to contact me. I learned a lot about my son that I didn't know, about how brave Stevie was and how any time they called a medic he was the first one to jump up and go." The day he found out his first son was killed, Oscar Barrett said he put his fist through a dining room chair and then sat and cried. After the funeral he and his wife, Jean, tried to get on with their lives. Months later, after the paperwork was complete, Stanley Barrett, Stephen's younger brother, told his parents he'd enlisted in the Army. Stanley, who had been very close to his older brother, had barely been able to talk of Stephen after he died. The Army assigned him to be a mechanic in Fairbanks, Alaska. At first, the assignment brought his Dad relief. Then Stanley turned up back home on leave a few months before being shipped off to Vietnam at his own request. He never explained why. "It was not open for discussion," his dad said. On Oct. 3, 1970, Stanley Barrett went out to help retrieve a crippled tank when it was hit by a mortar. It blew up on top of him. "That's when I went off the deep end," said Oscar Barrett, a retired truck driver. "I drank, and drank heavy. Whiskey, beer chasers and highballs. I did it for pretty near two months. But my wife finally got to me. She told me it wouldn't do any good. She didn't want to lose me." And neither did Howard, his only remaining child. So Oscar Barrett backed off the booze and started putting one foot in front of the other, one day at a time. It is the kind of quiet noble courage that never gets any medals. NAM VET Newsletter Page 57 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Vietnam wasn't his first experience with the agony of war. He was a crew member on one of the Coast Guard LSTs that moved in after the atomic bomb blast in Nagasaki at the end of World War II. Although his own health has been good, Barrett has become an activist in helping other veterans who were exposed to radiation get what they are entitled to from the government. "The way I feel, this country owes me a little more than I owe it," he said. Now retired, Oscar Barrett spends his days quietly at home watching television with his wife. This Easter Sunday he'll hide colored eggs in the yard for 7-year-old Jacob, his only grandchild. He has never met another father who lost a boy in Vietnam. He suspects that those men live a lot like he does. "I'm carrying on as best I can. I keep my chin up and go on with my life, but I never forget them." NAM VET Newsletter Page 58 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 "Marine gets Bronze Star 21 years after heroic rescue" Associated Press Input by: Joyce Flory NAM VETs Incarcerated Veterans Section Editor Desert Dolphin BBS - Las Cruces, NM (505) 523-2811 ST. LOUIS - Jim Lahr sat ramrod straight in his wheelchair,tears welling in his eyes as his field commander from Vietnam added a long-delayed Bronze Star Saturday to the rows of medals pinned to his Marine uniform. While on patrol in Vietnam March 21, 1969, 16 days before the end of his 13-month tour of duty, Lahr and several other Marines descended the steep banks of a stream to fill canteens. It turned out they had stumbled on a huge North Vietnamese supply cache, said Denver Lawson Freeman, who probably would have died there if it weren't for Lahr. As they stooped in the 2-foot- deep water, they were suddenly ambushed with machine-gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades. "Corporal Lahr, with complete disregard for his own safety... assisted several Marines to safety," the award citation says. "Despite the heavy fire, he made several trips... until he himself was wounded and unable to continue." Lahr said he took one round from a rifle. The bullet went into his shoulder, grazing his lung, hit three ribs and finally lodged in his spine, paralyzing him from the waist down. For 20 years, neither Freeman nor Lahr knew that the other had survived. But through a contact he made at a Marine Corps reunion last summer, Freeman learned that Lahr was living in Lincoln, IL. He set out to see that his friend received the honor he deserved. "If he hadn't pulled me out of the river that day, I wouldn't be here today," Freeman said after the ceremony Saturday at the Marine Reserve base in St. Louis. NAM VET Newsletter Page 59 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Was YOUR unit in 'Nam? by: Rick Stolz NAM VET MIA-POW Section Editor The Reunion BBS - Okauchee, Wisconsin (414) 567-0437 I would Like to address all of you to help me in putting together a Complete list of all units in Vietnam. I will start with the Army, and then the Marines, Air Force, Navy, and the Coast Guard. All correspondence should take place through the Vietnam Vets Echo addressed to me or by calling me at Reunion BBS. Please leave your address, and phone number, so if I need more information I can contact you. If all goes right I will have a list of all units. Then I will start to use the info to put together a Database on the units and accomplishments of each unit, down to company level. If your unit is listed and the info is correct then tell me about the unit,where it was, when you where there, if it had a nickname, and what you remember about what happened. If there is an error or your unit is not listed let me know what the correct placement is. I was surprised to find out how many units where not officially listed. So your help is desperately being sought. Contact friends that might help, post members, etc. I would like to have your cooperation to make this as complete as possible. As far as I know this has never been done before. I have other units that I can't confirm so I need help to find out who was where. US ARMY ORGANIZATIONS IN VIETNAM AHC = Assault Helicopter Co Arty = Artillery Bd = Brigade Bn = Battalion Brty = Battery Co = Company Dv = Division Gp = Group LIB = Light Infantry Brigade Ord = Ordinance NAME ------------------------------------------------- 1/568th Clr Co 1st Air Cav (Rear) 1st Air Cav Dv 7th Inf 2d Bn, Company's: B, 13th Sig Bn 30th Inf 1st Bn Co's: C, ABrty 50th Mech Inf NAM VET Newsletter Page 60 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 1 Co (LZ Uplift) 1st Infantry Dv 1st Aviation Bd 335th AHC ("Cowboys", Dong Tam) HHD Co's: B 16th Inf 1st Bd Co's: C 2d Bd Co's: B,C,HMP Combat Tracker Team #5 26th Inf 1st Bn Co's: A, 28th Inf 1st Bd Co's: A 2d Bd Co's: A 3d Bd 1st Signal Bd 36th Signal Bn (Long Binh) Company's: 269th Signal Co (Co A44, Bien Hoa), 1st Special Forces Group 2/568th Clr Co 2d Surg Hospital (An Khe, Chu Lai) 3/616th Clr Co 3d Bd, 82d Airborne Dv 3d Fld Hosp 3d Surg 4th Inf Dv 1/69 Armr Co's: C 3d Engr Bd 4th Bn Co's: C,D 4th Aviation Bn Co's: A,B 4th Med Bn 8th Inf Bd 1st Bn Co's: B,D, 2d Bn Co's: A 9th Inf Bd 2d BN Co's: B,HH Brty 1/10 Cav Troops: D 22 Inf 1st Bn Company's: B, 35 Inf 1st Bn Co's: HQ 2d Bn Co's: C,D,E 50th ISPD 5th Special Forces Grp 5th Cav Dv 1st Bd Co's: A,B,HHC,BBrty (W/ 25th Inf) 2d Bd Co's: B ( 1st Cav ) 3d Bd Co's: C ( W/1st Cav & 9th Inf ) 6th Conv Ctr 6th Psyops Det 7th Cav Div ( W/ 1st Cav ) 1st Bn Co's:A,C,D 2d Bn Co's: HHC 5th Bn Co's:D,E,L 7th Surg 8th Fld Hosp 8th Radio Research Field Station 9th Inf Dv 9th Avn Co's: B NAM VET Newsletter Page 61 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 39th Inf 2d Bn Company's: D,E 3d Bn Company's: A ("Ft Courage"), 4th Bn Company's: HQ,C 47th Inf 2d Bn Company's: B,D,175 Sig Co 3D Bn 4th Bn Company's: C, 60th Inf 2d Bn Company's: A,D,HQ, 3d Bn Company's: C 4/60 Arty 5th Bn Company's: B,C, K Trp 84th Arty 9th Med Lab 11th Armored Cav 1st Sqdn Troops: B, 205 AHC 2d Squd Troops: E,F,HHQ 3d Squd Troops: L,M 11th Arty 2d ( 101st ABN ) 6th Brty: HH ( 23d INF ) 7th ( 25th INF) 11th LIB 24th Mech 20th Bn 1st Company's: B,C,D (Duc Pho, Chu Lai) ( ,D W/ 23d Inf ) 2d Arty Brty: A ( 1st Cav ) 12th Evac 12th Inf Div 1st Bn Co's: C ( 1st Cav ) 2d Bn Company's:A,B (An Khe,& 101st Abn) 4th Bn Co's: D,E ( 199th LIB ) 13th Arty 2d Bn Company's: C Brty (Phu Loi), 14th Arty C Brty ( 23d Inf ) 14th Inf 1st Bn Co's: B, ( 25 Inf ) C,E, ( 4th Inf ) 2d Bn Co's A,E,HQ, ( 25 Inf ) 15th Arty 7th Bn Battery's: C Brty (LZ English, An Khe, Pleiku, Qui Nhon, Bam be tuet) 17th Air Cav 1st Squd Troops: B, (101st Abn) 2d Squd Troops: A,B,C,HQ,C Brty, ( 101st Abn ) 3d Sqdn Troops: B,D (Tay Ninh, Cu Chi, Di An & 101st Abn), 7th Squd Troops: A,C,D,E,F, ( 196th LIB ) 17th Fld Hosp 18th Engineer Bd 14th Bn C Co (LZ Nancy) 18th Military Police Bd 18th Surg 20th Engineer Bd (Rear) 20th Engineer Bd 20th Prev Med Unit 22d Surg NAM VET Newsletter Page 62 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 23d Arty Gp (Phu Loi) 23d Inf Dv (Americal) formed 9-67; Comprised of 11th, 196th, and 198th LIB's 3/14 Arty Service Baty 14th Arty 1st Bn Battery's: C, 20th Inf 1st Bn Company's: D, 23d Med Bn Co's: A,D 28th Arty 3d Bn Brty's: C (LZ Siberia), 196th LIB 3/21 Inf Co's:HQ 1st Inf 2d Bn Company's: B (Phu Bai), 8th Support Bn Company's: B (Tay Ninh), 17th Cav Troops: F, 156th Signal Platoon 198th Light Inf Bd 1/6th Bn Company's: A Co, 1/52D Bn Co's: C 46th Bn 1st Bd Company's: Co B (Hill 69), 5th Bd Co's: D,HHC 123 Avn Bn 174 Ahc Co's: B ( SHARKS ) 71 Ahc 24th Evac 25th Inf Dv 3d Bd 4th Bn Troops: A,C 8th Arty 1st Bn Battery's:A,C, 7th Bn 9th Inf 4th Bn Co A,C 14th Inf 1st Bn Co B HHQ, 3/13 Arty 22d Inf 2d Bn Company's: A,C,66 CBT 3d Bn Company's: D (Tay Ninh), 23d Mech 4th Bn Co's: B,HHC 25th Aviation A Co (Cu Chi) 25th Med Bn Co's: D 27th Inf "Wolfhounds" 1st Bn Co's: C, ABrty 2d Bn Company's: C Co, 34th Armor 2d Bn Company's: HQ, (Tay Ninh), 65th Engr 26th Arty Target Acquisition (Dong Ha) 27th Surg 29th Evac 32d Med Depot 35th Eng Co C 35th SPS Heavy Weapons NAM VET Newsletter Page 63 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 36th Evac 36th KJ (DS) 38th KJ (DS) 40th KJ (DS) 43d Dump Truck Co 43d Med Gp 43d Sig Bn Co A C HQ 44th Med Bd 44th Medical Bd 45th Surg 50th Clr Co 54th Gen Support Gp (Nha Trang) 55th Med Gp 56th KJ (DS) 61st Med Bn 67th Evac Hosp 67th Med Gp (Bien Hoa, Danang) 68th MB Gp 70th MD Bn 71st Evac Hosp 74th MD Bn 83d Arty 1st Bn Battery's: B, 84th Arty 6th Bn Battery's: C, 85th Evac 91st Evac 93d Evac 101st Airborne Dv 1st Bd 1/327th Company's: C, 3d Bd 3/187th Co's: B,C,HHC(PSNCO) 501st Inf 1st Bn Co's: A,C,D,E,HHC 2d Bn Co's: A,B,D,HQ 502d Inf 1st Bn Co's: A,B,HHC 2d Bn Co's: A,B,HHC 506th Inf 1st Bn Company's: A,B,C,D,HHC 2d Bn Co's: B,E,HHC 3d Bn Co's: A,B,C,D,HQ 16th Inf 6th Bd Co's: F 319 Arty 2d Bn 320th Arty 2d Bn Brty's: B 327th Arty 1st Bn Brty's: A,B,C,D,E,HHQ 2d Bn Brty's: A,B,C,E,HHQ 114th Combat Aviation Bn Companies: 71st, 132d, 174th, 176th, 178th, 411th (TC), 116th AHC "Hornets" 129th AHC 137th KJ (DS) NAM VET Newsletter Page 64 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 161st Med Det (Red Beach) 169th Eng Bn Company's: C, 172d Prev MD Unit 173d Airborne Dv 2d Bn Co's: C 1/1 Cav Troops: A 75th Inf (Rangers) Co's:C,F,L,51 LRRP 403d Inf Co's: A 503d Inf 1st Bn Co's: D,E,HHC S&T 2d Bn Co's: B 3d Bn Co's: D 4th Bn Co's: A,C,D 50 Infantry (Mech) 1st Bn Co's: A 173d Assault Helicopter Co 184th Ord Bn 199th Light Inf Bd 3/7th Inf Co's: A 7th Supply Bn 483 FSU 219th KJ (DS) 257th KJ (DS) 282 Aviation Co ("Black Cats") 297th Trans Co (Nha Trang) 334th Helos 571st Trans Det 437th KJ (DS) 498th Medevac Co 516th PSC 518th KJ (DS) 520th Clr Co 522d MD (AF) 542d Clr Co 553d HEM Co 563d Clr Co 568th Clr Co 523d Co 523d Signal Bn Company's: B (Chu Lai,Hawk Hill) 616th Clr Co 716th Military Police 932d MD (AI) 934th KJ (DS) Co B, 577 Combat Engineers Defense Communications Agency, So'east Asia HHB, II Field Force Arty MAAG MACV 2d Traffic Bn Team 1 Team 17/Civil Affairs Team 31 Team 162 (V'namese Airborne Div "Red Hats") USARV NAM VET Newsletter Page 65 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 ================================================================== W h e n t h e C h a p l a i n w h i s p e r s . . . ================================================================== Proper Perspective!! By: Rev. Oscar Wilkie DAV National Chaplain In: DAV Magazine - Vol 32, Issue 5 Input by: G. Joseph Peck NAM VETs Managing Editor VETLink #1 - Pittsfield, MA (413) 443-6313 Although I have been talking much in recent columns about "success," most people will admit that "failure" is a more common experience. As I thought it over, it stimulated my thinking in this whole area of "failure" and how we deal with it. It seems to me that the hope for success and the fear of failure are perhaps the two greatest burdens that most of us have to carry. Ours is a "win-lose" culture: the ethos of our society invites, motivates, and encourages us to be winners in life. We live in an age of executive game players, super stars, Nobel Prize winners, bionic celebrities, and successful entrepreneurs who have captured our imagination and attention. We all seem to feel the pressure to win at something, sometime, somewhere. In such a culture, there seems to be no room for anyone who fails... whether n sports, at the office, in the classroom, or at home. We all sense this pressure to win at all costs. I can relate to it in my own drive to be a "winner," whether on the golf course, in my profession, or as your (DAV) National Chaplain. Losing is depressing for most of us, but life does not afford us the luxury of choosing whether or not we are going to play. We know what it is to fail, and what we need is a way to redeem those failures. We need to discover whatever there is to learn from our losses. There are a couple of things I would share with you. First, we need to learn that failure is a part of life. No one succeeds at every contest. We need to discover that it is alright to fail. If the cause is important, and if our efforts represent our best, then we can find honor in having tried. It seems to me that the ultimate tragedy in life is not failure. The ultimate tragedy is to be unwilling to take risks when significant purposes present themselves! I think if someone is keeping score and "grading" us on life, during the times we don't quite make it He gives us an "incomplete" rather than a "failure." This means even when we fail on occasion, we are not "failures," just "incomplete" in the process of "becoming." "Incomplete" means there is still room to grow. Often we learn more from our defeats than from our victories. If we have the right attitude, "win, lose, or draw" in our individual endeavors, we can be moving forward! 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IIXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXpX The Vietnam Veteran XII IIXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX has relatives in the III IIIXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX Old and New Testaments III IIIXXXXXXXXXX XXXXX who also experienced loss II IIXXXXXXXXX XXX and grief, guilt and shame, II IIXXXXXXXXX XX rejection and betrayal, I IXXXXXXXXX alienation and estrangement, I IXXXX XX isolation and withdrawal. II IIXXXX II IIX Adam and Eve tried to hide from God; II II Moses, born Hebrew and raised Egyptian IIII IIII searched long and hard for his real self; II II Job, losing his children and all he owned, II II became sorely diseased; IIII III Biblical Joseph was rejected by his brothers, II II lied about and imprisoned; I Peter denied Jesus. II I "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" Matthew 28:20 NAM VET Newsletter Page 67 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 A PASTORAL RESPONSE TO THE TROUBLED VIETNAM VETERAN By: Melvin R. Jacob In: POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDERS: a handbook for clinicians (c) 1987 DAV National Headquarters (Continued from March 1990 issue of NamVet) Input by: G. Joseph Peck NAM VETs Managing Editor VETLink #1 - Pittsfield, MA (413) 443-6313 PTSD OF THE VIETNAM VETERAN was first published by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) in 1980 (Williams, 1980). This book gave affirmation to Vietnam veterans, especially the ones experiencing adjustment problems. It gave insight and help for the health care provider working with the troubled Vietnam veteran. I benefited from this book, and was especially pleased to learn that the DAV was planning a sequel and was broadening its observations and recommendations for treatment of the veteran and his or her family. Jim Goodwin, in his chapter on the etiology of combat-related PTSD, wrote of the life-sucking symptoms of this disorder: Many veterans find it extremely uncomfortable to feel love and compassion for others. To do this, they would have to thaw their numb reactions to the death and horror that surrounded them in Vietnam...., many of these veterans go through life with an impaired capacity to love and care for others. They have no feeling of direction or purpose in life. They are not sure why they even exist. (Goodwin, in Williams, 1980, p.14) Goodwin identified in this dilemma a symptom that psychological treatment alone has not addressed. Laufer (1985) described this issue quite clearly: "The problem can be seen as the difficulty in answering the question, 'Who am I?' after learning more than one wants about the question, 'What am I capable of?'" (p.51) The existential dilemma challenges their reason and purpose for human existence. I assert it also points to the Vietnam veteran's need for spiritual, pastoral care, a need that has largely been avoided in the literature on the treatment of PTSD. This article is an attempt to respond to this need. My purposes are fivefold: (1) to present pastoral problems with Vietnam veterans; (2) to reframe PTSD symptoms from a pastoral perspective; (3) to examine pastoral goals within the reality of PTSD symptoms; (4) to offer pastoral interventions for these goals; and (5) to theologically describe forms of positive change. My response to the pastoral care needs of the Vietnam veteran has developed within my ministry over the past six years. During this period, I have worked extensively with veterans (on both an in- and outpatient basis) who have sought treatment at the Augusta, Georgia, VA Medical Center. They have taught me much. My response to them has been formulated from a Judeo-Christian philosophy that presupposes that life, as a creation of God, has direction and purpose and that recognizes a redemptive hope within human brokenness and pain. My response acknowledges renewal in NAM VET Newsletter Page 68 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 the human spirit above and beyond human ability to effect change. [We continue now with the last part of this chapter.] PASTORAL INTERVENTION Pastoral intervention refers to the work by a designated representative - for example, a chaplain - of a faith group. This work integrates the chaplain's training and skill, the faith tradition and, one hopes, compassion for people. Pastoral intervention with the Vietnam veteran involves working with individuals of assorted faith backgrounds. This diversity challenges the chaplain to creatively develop vehicles on which to carry his message of healing and wholeness. Such a message arises within God's creative, redemptive, and sanctifying acts. My work with the Vietnam veteran has taught me that traditional models of ministry - for example, organized Bible study - are rejected. I have also learned that these veterans do not want me to be their medical doctor, psychologist, or social worker. My unique contribution lies in my offering a faith perspective to their health care. My contribution offers spiritual, or theological, significance to the intervention, which listens to their deepest hurts, doubts, and yearnings. I look for blessings within the veterans struggles and am reminded of the story of Jacob's struggle. Jacob (Genesis 32:26) wrestled long and hard with an unknown assailant before a blessing emerged out of his struggle. It is also within the veteran's own perseverance against PTSD symptomology (assailants) that blessings emerge. My work with Vietnam veterans has taught me to redefine what a blessing is. I have learned to look for renewal of the spirit in small measures that, however small, are still significant and worthy of the struggle to persevere. This struggle would be easy to forsake. I look for the change in behaviors illustrating increased trust, acceptance, and hope. I look for mending within the brokenness. My pastoral intervention interfaces a faith perspective, a spiritual dynamic, to the struggle and hurt of the troubled veteran. This interface occurs in five areas of pastoral intervention: (1) pastoral visitation, (2) group process, (3) pastoral counseling, (4) worship and prayer activity, and (5) interdisciplinary treatment plan development. PASTORAL VISITATION Pastoral visitation involves a regular routine of availability in which I am identified as chaplain. This availability communicates an interest in the veteran and his treatment and welfare. I do not seek to structure the content of visitation; I do structure a routine for availability - for example, one morning and two afternoons a week. I am open to hear the fears and yearnings, joys and accomplishments that are presented. It is not infrequent for a veteran to say, "Chaplain, I just want to tell you... (a struggle, a success, etc.)." As the presence of Jesus graced the region of Galilee, the chaplain may communicate care and availability through his/her presence. GROUP PROCESS Group process refers to inter- and intrapersonal dynamics that result in the leadership of therapeutic groups with selected Vietnam veterans.. I have co-lead two weekly groups (an inpatient NAM VET Newsletter Page 69 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 and outpatient group) with two psychologists. The inpatient group is called "redirection group," and the outpatient group is called "readjustment group." The inpatient group is time-limited with three months as the maximum length of participation. The outpatient group is on-going and has no time limit. Each group is limited to eight to ten participants. Members of the outpatient group remain active in the group with regular attendance. New members are added as old ones drop out. These groups are not structured in content except for occasional didactic sessions pertaining to PTSD and faith perspectives. (I have a three-hour didactic presentation of "PTSD and Religious Faith.") There is an emphasis on the here-and-now, away from system or compensation issues, and toward interpersonal and intrapersonal issues. I utilize the pastoral perspectives of PTSD to offer clarity for the troubled veteran. I am often asked, "So, what do I do now?" Such questions indicate trust and a readiness to hear of the pastoral possibilities within PTSD. PASTORAL COUNSELING Pastoral counseling refers to the process in which I utilize insights and principles derived from theology and the behavioral sciences to work with Vietnam veterans, couples, or families toward the achievement of healing and wholeness. Veterans request this intensive, in-depth pastoral intervention or they are referred by a psychiatrist or the interdisciplinary team. In my pastoral counseling, I seek to establish a deep relationship involving the therapeutic utilization of transference and countertransference issues. Pastoral counseling generally occurs once a week and lasts for forty-five to fifty minutes. The number of sessions varies according to the person, his treatment needs, and outpatient availability. The dynamics of pastoral counseling unfold deeply held maladies in the human spirit and allow for the reexperiencing of those maladies to foster healing and wholeness.. Early childhood and developmental issues frequently are enmeshed in the PTSD symptomatology. Dynamic exploration of those issues offers potential holistic healing for the veteran's deepest hurts and conflicts (Wallace, 1983). WORSHIP AND PRAYER In the specific acts of worship and prayer, I, as chaplain, provide religious leadership. This leadership may be prescribed (as in a public worship service or an invocation), or it may be extemporaneous (as in response to a prayer request). An appropriate liturgical format is taken for groups whose backgrounds are interdenominational. Worship and prayer provide a distinctive opportunity for the spoken proclamation of faith -- i.e., the sharing of the Gospel. This opportunity often comes only after a relationship is formed and trust is built. I have experienced that the spoken proclamation for the troubled veteran is best communicated in simple, down-to-earth fashion. Concrete images, illustrations, and stories with direct application to the veteran's struggle are most helpful. The symbols and rites of faith are best received when presented with sincerity without fanfare and adornment. The moments of worship and prayer are precious, deserving of clear, concise expressions of how the purpose and goals of faith fit into the maladies of troubles lives. NAM VET Newsletter Page 70 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM The interdisciplinary team formulates the treatment plan of an individual veteran. This plan is devised to meet the needs of each veteran. My input is a chaplain's perspective on diagnosis and treatment.(3) Updates of the veteran's treatment involve notes of the chaplain's intervention and any revised assessments. I speak for the dignity of the person and humanity of treatment and assert there is a direct correlation between the success of treatment and the level of teamwork among the interdisciplinary staff. I have been fortunate to work with professionals who have been accepting of me and my place in the team. FORMS OF CHANGE From these areas of pastoral intervention, I have observed three unique forms of change that occur, and that have both theological and psychological significance. I categorize these changes as (1) rebuilding, (2) turning around, and (3) renewal. These categories are now described. REBUILDING (Creative Action) The biblical story of Joseph illustrates rebuilding. Joseph, who experienced betrayal, alienation, and loss, positively rebuilt his life over a period of time. He exhibited his worth and value as a person in spite of the hardship and injustices he had experienced. He maintained his honesty and integrity. He was valued, and he used this recognition to benefit others. Tom experienced heavy combat duty in his 12 months in Vietnam. He was barely 19 at the time. He married shortly after his return and had two children. He drank heavily and lost jobs. Within a few years, he was divorced. During the succeeding years, he continued to lose jobs, as many as three in one year. He withdrew from his family and became hypervigilant and agoraphobic. At the request of his family, he sought help. In his treatment, and for the first time, he exposed the deep fears and shared painful losses. He discovered mistakes of his own making. He claimed he felt a sense of acceptance as he exposed the brokenness and errors of his past. He began to examine the directions he took that were destructive to him. He benefited from examining his mistakes, analyzing what went wrong, and formulating alternate actions to rectify his mistakes. He took what was salvageable. The remaining pieces were seen as having creative potential. He developed plans to implement the resalvaging of his life; he reestablished contact with his ex- wife, and began a new relationship with her, his perception of God moved from a judging, vindictive view to an accepting, caring one. He saw God as blessing the salvageable pieces in his life. This type of pastoral intervention has specific ingredients. A rational approach was taken to enable the veteran to clearly identify and formulate the destructive elements in his life. Problem-solving techniques enabled him to examine the alternatives he had. Like Joseph, Tom did not give up on what was left from the injustice and failure. He began a slow, arduous process of recreation. He found initiative and strength that had been dormant, and he used them to build new alternatives. Recalling Tillich's polarities, we note that Tom moved from NAM VET Newsletter Page 71 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 distrust with his ex-wife to increased trust. He experienced acceptance and stated "it felt good." He attached hope to the rebuilding of salvageable pieces and reestablished contact with his church. He reported mending within significant relationships.. He shared losses and uncovered grief for buddies who were horribly killed. He described a relief of guilt, a sense of absolution. (Haley <1978> described the need for absolution in the treatment of PTSD. She wrote "Absolution is necessary, but must evolve over time and within the protective shield and containment of the therapeutic alliance" .) His contact with significant others increased, alleviating a strong sense of isolation. The pastoral intervention modeled recreative possibilities for Tom. This intervention utilized a trusting relationship, developed slowly and carefully over time. It found opportunities that occurred through visitation, group process, and pastoral counseling to enable Tom to reframe the perception of his brokenness and despair, and centered on a view of a nonpunitive God who accepted him within his failures. Tom exposed the hurt and pain that lay beneath the mask of brokenness and failure as he began to rebuild his life. Creative action occurred. TURNING AROUND (Redemptive Action) Certain dynamics appear in the turning around experience. A person acknowledges personal responsibility for his life. He seeks to learn from his emotional pain. This pain may arise from personal failures or errors of judgment but, in any case, pain affects attitudes toward oneself and others; a sense of purpose in life declines, and the spirit for life and vitality ebbs. There is a temptation to blame others for our failures and pain, and there is the tendency to expect others to extricate us from our misery. The turning around experience brings fundamental changes in perception and attitude; the individual views the source of his pain as an issue he can control. He admits his failure and receives redemption for his misdeeds. Relief of conscience frees energy and refocuses his attention. New purpose arises with more energy released to find productive activity. An example of this redemptive action is taken from a group experience. The chaplain's role illustrates specific actions taken to enable the redemptive experience. Members in a weekly therapeutic group developed a sense of community with one another. They claimed their attachments and closeness and stated the value and trustworthiness of the group. One of the group members suddenly died, apparently of natural causes. He was a leader in the group. The group was shocked by his unexpected death. Some wanted to attach blame for his early death on Vietnam. Some wanted to focus attention on the VA's response (or lack of it) to his death. The pain of loss was collectively avoided. The group members wanted to use this death as further evidence of the evils of Vietnam and reasons for their distrust, alienation, and withdrawal from others outside the group. The member who died was seen as another victim who faced the inevitable fate of external forces arising from NAM VET Newsletter Page 72 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Vietnam to inflict death and destruction. In my pastoral intervention, I saw in his death an opportunity for a redemptive experience in the group. I believed our attachments had to be claimed and our loss needed to be grieved. Attention was focussed on how his loss felt. The realities of his death and loss from the group were not avoided. Feelings of loss gradually oozed out, and some emotional ventilation occurred. Some shared personal vulnerabilities and pain. The realities of his death and burial were experienced, but they did not bring added death to the group.. Some even spoke of losses from Vietnam for which they had never grieved. The death became the catalyst for a redemptive experience. This redemptive experience was evidenced with our own memorial service. I worked with the group to develop a format, based on Scriptural sources, for an appropriate service in our group setting.. Dislikes and fears toward formal religious activity were aired. Expressions of faith and hope came out. In their service, an opportunity was given for the group members to state their attachments.. Selected Scripture readings presented the finality and hope of death and life. The Christian message of resurrection was affirmed. Hope was verbalized. We figuratively buried our friend. His death brought a new beginning for the group to face fear and loss within themselves.. "I am sure glad we did this.... he wasn't just forgotten," typified the group's reaction. Some made linkages to losses and unresolved grief from Vietnam. "I never did this over there." RENEWAL (Sanctifying Action) The New Testament example of Paul gives a vivid portrayal of renewal in a person's life. Paul, known as Saul, was consumed with a passion to destroy that overwhelmed his outlook on life. He later expressed how the passion blinded him, creating alienation and despair in his life. His conversion experience created change; it renewed his perception of life. His passion to destroy changed. His eyes were opened to new meaning and reasons for existence, and what he was enabled to see brought him forgiveness, mending, and hope. His attitudes and purposes were renewed. Within his faith, he made positive change in his life. In the renewal experience, a person receives a gift external to his control. This gift has benefit to him. It is internalized to make ameliorative change. The gift gives credence and value for brokenness and pain in life. The person believes in the power of this spiritual experience. He has faith. Fowler (1981) explained faith as a response to transcendent value and power through cumulative tradition; it is the alignment of a person's heart or will with this transcendent value and power. Its effect is on the whole person. It is the substance of the things not seen, yet hoped for. Behavior is affected. Healing results. Renewal for Vietnam veterans varies with faith traditions. Sacramental faith groups believe such renewing power comes through such events as Baptism and Holy Communion. These rites provide a person with external power to engender change in and for life. The rite of confession and absolution offer to unlock the mystery of renewed life. Another tradition may attribute the public profession of faith with renewal powers.. This public action NAM VET Newsletter Page 73 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 brings with it the support of the community of faith. Horowitz and Solomon (1978) recorded specific suggestions for renewal with the issue of guilt. They identified in the Vietnam veteran "a realistic shame and guilt that cannot be relieved simply by clear expression and rational working-through" (p. 279). Horowitz and Solomon identified the therapeutic power of a renewal process to deal with the issue of guilt. Their recommendations involve a three-step process: ^ Clarification of the guilt - for example, through the use of usual psychotherapeutic maneuvers for clear expression; ^ Atonement and penance, called "the classical maneuvers" - for example, rites in the Roman Catholic Church - for the reduction of guilt. "The maneuvers are classical because they work comparatively well" (p. 280). This concept includes confession, a period of emotional pain, self- accusation, and possibly self-destructive behavior (job loss and object loss). Clarification with the veteran of how much harm he must continue to inflict is important; and ^ Symbolic restitution, which involves actions that heal people or the environment and provide a route away from self- destructive patterns and towards life-affirming strategies. Faith traditions utilize sacred rites and rituals - for example, the Seder and Holy Communion - that empower participants to regenerate and renew themselves. Chaplains have these powerful resources to enable renewal. In my experience, veterans do not report cures, or elimination of symptoms from their renewal experiences, but they do report added purpose and resolve to positively live with these symptoms and courageously continue their struggles. Within the SPirit's gift of faith and pursuing power, the veteran confronts his struggle with the certainty that comes for a loved, sanctified child of God. CONCLUSION I recently viewed the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in Washington, D.C. I had heard various reports of how the black wall with so many names affected the veterans of that war. My reactions to this memorial provide some closure to this chapter on the care of troubled Vietnam veterans. I observed mourning. Visitors were hushed, respectful, and appeared lost for words. I observed pain on faces in their recall of Vietnam's legacy. I observed ownership as people took time to find and touch the names of family members or acquaintances on the wall. I observed hope in the resolve that the sacrifices represented by those names were not in vain. (I claim my own feelings informed these observations.) The symbolism of the wall evokes strong reactions in its observers. It is stark and powerful, in a quiet, sunken place by itself, but in historical context as it points toward the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. The length of the list of names is awesome. The reactions are reminders of the war's realistic and continual effect on its veterans whose symptoms evoke powerful responses, as does the wall. A pastoral perspective of this response is vital to alleviate the enormity of these symptoms. A pastoral response takes its place among the interventions of other health-care givers. NAM VET Newsletter Page 74 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 This pastoral perspective is realistic about the brokenness that is encountered. The chaplain's presence may precipitate strong negative reactions from the veteran. It is important for the chaplain to understand the symptoms - distrust and fear, rejection and betrayal, futility, alienation and estrangement, loss and grief, guilt and shame, and isolation and withdrawal. In the development of a healing relationship with the veteran, the chaplain offers intervention to mend the brokenness and reduce the symptoms. This intervention may be recreative, redemptive, and renewing. These positive results are not exclusive, but overlap each other. They illustrate a hope that exists in the pastoral response with the troubled Vietnam veteran. NOTES 1. New treatment approaches for PTSD have solicited a holistic intervention to the symptoms of the disorder. Fleming (1985) wrote, "To adequately understand the Vietnam veteran, a more holistic, interdisciplinary approach is needed" (p.. 123). Fleming defines holistic to only include the social, political, historical, economic, and philosophical aspects of the person. Scrigner (1984) argues for a multidisciplinary approach to best meed the needs of the chronic PTSD patient. He stated, "A comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach should continue during all phases of treatment..." (p. 182). Scrigner's compilation of assorted disciplines affecting such an approach numbers two dozen, but fails to include a chaplain or anyone addressing the spiritual dimensions of the person. Indeed, there is a great gap in the literature on the chaplain's role in dealing with PTSD in the troubled Vietnam veteran. 2. There was a shattering of faith in the capacity for remaking into good that which was bad. Hurt and pain increased; cynicism and suspicion blossomed; and brokenness of mind, body, and spirit seemed to be the order of the day. A sense of futility deepened. 3. In conjunction with Medical Records and the Chief of Chaplain Service, I have developed a Chaplain's Assessment Form. This form contains basic information on the veteran's religious history, an assessment of the veteran's malady, and specific recommendations for the chaplain's intervention. These recommendations are approved interventions - i..e., groups or pastoral counseling. This Assessment Form becomes a part of the veteran's chart and permanent record. REFERENCES American Psychiatric Association (1980). DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Press. Arnold, A.L. (1985). Inpatient treatment of Vietnam veterans with PTSD. In S.M. Sonnenburg, A.S. Blank, & J.A. Talbott (Eds.), THE TRAUMA OF WAR: STRESS AND RECOVERY IN VIETNAM VETERANS. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Press. Erikson, E.H. (1963). CHILDHOOD AND SOCIETY (2nd rev. ed.). New York: W.W. Norton. Fleming, R.H. (1985, May). Post Vietnam syndrome: Neurosis or NAM VET Newsletter Page 75 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 sociosis? PSYCHIATRY, 48, 122-139. Fowler, J.W. (1981). STAGES OF FAITH: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE QUEST FOR MEANING. San Francisco: Harper and Row. Goodwin, J. (1980). The etiology of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorders. In T. Williams (Ed.), POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDERS OF THE VIETNAM VETERAN AND HIS FAMILY (pp. 1-24). Cincinnati OH: Disabled American Veterans. Haley, S.A. (1978). Treatment implications of post-combat stress response syndromes for mental health professionals. In C.R. Figley (Ed.), STRESS DISORDERS AMONG VIETNAM VETERANS (pp. 254- 267). New York: Brunner/Mazel. Horowitz, M.J., & Solomon, G.F. (1978), STRESS DISORDERS AMONG VIETNAM VETERANS (pp. 268-280). New York: Brunner/Mazel. Ingram, T.L., Hurley, E.C., & Riley, M.T. (1985, March). Grief resolution therapy in a pastoral context. THE JOURNAL OF PASTORAL CARE, 39, 69-72. Laufer, R.S. (1985). War Trauma and human development: The Vietnam experience. In S.M. Sonnenburg, A.S. Blank & J.A. Talbott (Eds.), THE TRAUMA OF WAR: STRESS AND RECOVERY IN VIETNAM VETERANS. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Press. Leventman, S. (1978). Epilogue: Social and historical perspectives on the Vietnam veteran. In C.R. Figley (Ed.), STRESS DISORDERS AMONG VIETNAM VETERANS (pp. 291-295). New York: Brunner/Mazel. Lifton, R.J. (1978). Advocacy and corruption in the healing profession. In C.R. Figley (Ed.), STRESS DISORDERS AMONG VIETNAM VETERANS. New York: Brunner/Mazel. Scrigner, C.B. (1984). POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND LEGAL ISSUES. New York: Prager Special Studies. Tillich, P. (1963). SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY (Vol 3). Chicago University of Chicago Press. Wilson, J.P. (1977). FORGOTTEN WARRIOR PROJECT. Washington, D.C.: Disabled American Veterans. NAM VET Newsletter Page 76 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 ================================================================== H e a r t s & M i n d s ================================================================== Veterans For Peace Nicaragua Election Monitoring Delegation Input by: Kathleen Kelly, Ph.D. NAM VETs PTSD Section Editor The New York Transfer - Staten Island, NY (718) 448-2358 FINAL REPORT - February 27, 1990 "International observation of election processes is a relatively new phenomenon which adds a new dimension to democracy by providing a vehicle for further securing human rights and enhancing the means of nonviolent conflict resolution. While the observer has no responsibility for the amelioration of any specific injustice, his or her presence and power to report should serve to constrain ideological passion and political machinations associated with choosing leadership. The sole responsibility of the civil observer is to observe and provide a report unencumbered by the political bias of traditional governmental and ideologically oriented organizations..... "The principal goal of Veterans For Peace is the abolition of war as a political instrument. Free and fair elections are an essential element of nonviolent conflict resolution; the alternative to war and violence." -- Col John Barr (USMC-RET), National President, Veterans For Peace. Fifty members of Veterans For Peace (VFP) visited 107 voting places largely in rural Nicaragua during the February 25, 1990 elections. Any reporting of the 1990 election must begin by acknowledging the psychological and emotional effects that ten years of low intensity warfare have had on the Nicaraguan population. Economic and guerrilla warfare have created an atmosphere of dissatisfaction, fear and distrust. Much of the population is armed and war weary. It is impossible to calculate the exact effect this has had on the election process. However, it is clear that these conditions were a factor in voter turnout as well as in choices made. In spite of this atmosphere, VFP teams found no major infractions or fraud at any of the sites they visited. However, complaints from polling officials were heard at various sites (i.e. "the F.S.L.N. detained us" and "the Contras threatened us"). These occasional reports of hearsay information characterized the bulk of complaints in some of the more conflicted regions. No one directly witnessed such action although the team in Region VII did hear threats over "Contra Radio" before all the polling results were in. We also observed some problems with the procedure itself such as concern over ballot secrecy and the opening and closing of polls. These concerns were most often team specific and can be found in the individual reports that accompany this forward. NAM VET Newsletter Page 77 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 The VFP teams were impressed by the overall commitment and integrity shown by Sandinista, UNO and other party officials at the designated polling sites. We were also impressed with the seriousness and purpose of the voters themselves, many traveling long distances and waiting hours to vote. The delegation is in unanimous agreement that the election was fair and open with strict adherence to the electoral process as set forth by the Nicaraguan Supreme Electoral Council. With some understanding of the internal complexities and problems facing the Nicaraguan people in the coming months, we are hopeful that the demonstrated cooperation and respect for the democratic process will carry forward into the coming transition period. VFP believes the presence of civil observers was important for two primary reasons: 1. We are able to report to the world that the elections were indeed free and fair. 2. Because of the reality of low intensity warfare and the many threats of violence, our presence may well have contributed to more peaceful elections. /s/ Veterans For Peace Delegation Leaders Joseph Ryan, VFP National Vice President, Tallahassee, Florida Ian Walker, VFP National Treasurer, Madbury, New Hampshire Steven J. Bentley, VFP National Advisory Council, Scarboro, Maine Monitoring Assignments: ----------------------- REGION I: COL Philip Roettinger (USMC-RET), Robert Ganter, Miles Freeman, Benjamin Weintraub, Deborah Kaplan, Robert Camwell. REGION III: Ian Walker, Robert Bergeron, William Pabst, William Brenner, Anne Brenner, Eric Brenner, Mark Coplan. REGION V: Sanford Kelson, Susan Rettig, Scott Stambush, William Lankford, Jesse Perrier, Eugene Sheftelman, Michael Burkholder, Sterling Vinson. REGION VI: H Burtt Richardson, MD, Charles Bonner, Scott Camil, Michael Pahios, Ed Deaton, Sean Daly, Samuel Beder, Frank Magill, M.D., Charles Willett, Nancy Willett, Silke Hoffmann, Fred Jacob, Gary Karasik, Gary Campbell, Lorenzo Torrez, George Holland, Fernando Perez, Patricia Manning, Robert Wright, Victoria Baker. REGION VII: Joseph Ryan, Steven Bentley, David Tesch, Robert Berti, Erica Rosenthal, Douglas Remley, Charter Weeks, Marie Harris, Robin Palmer. ------------------------ Source: PeaceNet carnet.nicanews NAM VET Newsletter Page 78 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Shave my head? Live with Men? Where do I sign? By: Greg Kleven Editor - VIETNAM ECHOS P O Box 774 Concord, CA 94522 Sounds crazy, but a lot of us signed up. I did. I joined the Marine Corps. Different reasons and circumstances, but we were the willing of those who served in the military. What made us choose the military as our next step to adulthood was important. But what was and still is important today is that the Marine Corps was there to accept another "volunteer". The Marine Corps is still being fed American lives despite its own efforts to self destruct. Now we are being asked to debate the issue of females in combat; essentially saying that it is okay for a male to be in combat. But I signed up, so it's my problem. I have to be held accountable for my actions; I can't be let off the hook just because I am a vet. I accept the responsibility and apply it to all others who participated. Officers and policy makers included. As fighters in the battles we didn't help plan; to being forced to fight for human rights in a jungle worse than the Nam, we were always assumed guilty and forced to prove our grievances. We had to try and defend tactics that were suicidal. Why weren't the tactics of the war examined as closely as was the individual vet, who was only following orders? We are held accountable for a stupid policy that refuses to examine itself. The examination won't be pretty, but it has to be done. More than two hundred fed in Beruit alone. They teach the dangers of bunching up in boot camp. Surely the officers must of heard of this defensive tactic? Were the officers or the system held accountable? Some heads may have rolled but nothing to change the system that produced the policy. So before we debate females in combat, I want it know that I don't want my son deciding that he wants to shave his head and go live with men. It's not only dangerous, it's stupid. The only lesson of war that we should be passing on is that war kills and wounds not only the individual and his mind, but it wounds society as well. And for that reason alone it is asinine. Take an honest look and its easy to see why so many of us "volunteered". We are still being used today because our sons are still signing up; and now they want our daughters. Would you want your daughter to shave her head and go live with men? NAM VET Newsletter Page 79 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 VA EXPANDS POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER TREATMENT SITES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Office of Public Affairs - News Service Washington DC 20420 (202) 233-2741 Input by: G. Joseph Peck NAM VETs Managing Editor VETLink #1 - Pittsfield, MA (413) 443-6313 The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced it is enlarging its program to treat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder by adding 20 specialized clinical teams based at VA medical centers throughout the country. This expansion beings the total number of clinical teams to 44 and follows a number of steps VA has taken to increase the availability of PTSD treatment programs.. PTSD symptoms include recurrent thoughts of a traumatic event, reduced involvement in work or outside interests, hyperalertness, anxiety and irritability. The expansion, which began last year, follows the recommendations of a special committee on PTSD and the results of a VA-funded study showing that PTSD affects some 15.2 percent of male Vietnam theater veterans. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Edward J. Derwinski said, "Most Vietnam veterans adjusted well following military service and are productive members of society, but we need to continue to find ways to reach out to those veterans who still need our help and support." Derwinski noted that these programs are available to all veterans with PTSD, not only those who served in Vietnam. In addition to providing outpatient treatment, the clinical teams also will work closely with other VA treatment programs, including VA's 196 Vietnam Veteran Outreach Centers (Vet Centers), to coordinate services and provide information on PTSD throughout the medical center and the community. The 20 new units are located at the following VA medical centers: Togus, Maine; White River Junction, Vt.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Clarksburg, W. Va.; Pittsburgh (Highland Drive division); Perry Point, Md.; Tuskegee, Ala.; Miami; Chillicothe, Ohio; Marion, Ind.; Cheyenne, Wyo.; Topeka, Kan.; Salt Lake City; Loma Linda, Calif.; Honolulu Outpatient Clinic; Portland, Ore.; Fayetteville, Ark.; Oklahoma City; and Phoenix, Ariz. VA has long been involved in PTSD treatment and research. The Department's network of Vet Centers provide counseling to veterans and their families on a variety of readjustment problems. Veterans also receive PTSD treatment at all of VA's 172 medical centers and 153 mental hygiene clinics. NAM VET Newsletter Page 80 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 ================================================================== N o t i c e s o f I n t e r e s t ================================================================== THE CARIBOU PROJECT Jan Gerstner 1049 Milwaukee St Delafield, WI 53018-1626 (414) 646-8965 Input by: Rick Stolz NAM VET MIA-POW Section Editor The Reunion BBS - Okauchee, Wisconsin (414) 567-0437 I am doing an historical project on the Army CV-2 / USAF C-7 Caribou. I need to find people from any service who came into contact with the aircraft during the period 1959 - 1980, in Vietnam and elsewhere. Vietnam vets from the following areas are particularly needed: The siege of Dak To; The siege of Dak Seang; The siege of Khe San; Ben Het; Army operations against NVA/VC units prior to 1967; Special Forces, especially 5th Special Forces; Rangers; LRRPS who were dropped from and recovered by Caribous; Personnel from Fire Base Snuffy; Personnel from Fire Base David (O Rang, Cambodia); Air America personnel who operated Caribous; VNAF Caribou personnel; Thailand IRAN personnel; Other Army ground units who were supported by Army and USAF Caribou units; U.S. Air Force personnel who operated/supported Caribou operations after March, 1972; Army ground units who were evacuated by Caribous after March, 1972; Aerial Port personnel; ALCC and ALCE personnel; Army Caribou Aviation Company, and USAF Squadron Commanders; ANYONE who can evaluate the effectiveness of Caribou operations and support. I was an Air Force Caribou pilot 1970-71. Today I am a professional aviator and freelance writer, specializing in aviation topics. This history of the Caribous is using the official records as a base, but will tell the story in the words of the people who were there. I need narrative histories. To date, I have 400 Caribou pilots from the Army and Air Force on my roster, and the support of the USAF Office of History, the Air Force Archives and the Army Otter-Caribou Association. Information has also been contributed by the de Havilland Corporation and the Rand Corporation. ANYONE who had contact with a Caribou is urged to contact me. Many times even the simplest addition has proved to be one NAM VET Newsletter Page 81 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 of the more valuable. If you know someone else who may have operated, supported, depended upon, loved or hated a Caribou, please have them contact me. I can be reached through EXEC-PC, VETLink #1 or at: THE CARIBOU PROJECT Jan Gerstner 1049 Milwaukee Street Delafield, WI 53018-1626 (414) 646-8965 <1200 N81N> _ | | -----/_\----- -O==============< : >==============O- ( ) (...) ( ) NAM VET Newsletter Page 82 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 ================================================================== I n - T o u c h - N e w S e r v i c e ! ! ! ================================================================== In-Touch. What is it ??? Input by: Ray "Frenchy" Moreau NAM VETs IN-TOUCH Section Editor Herndon Byte eXchange - Herndon, VA (703) 471-8010 ================================================================= |+++++++++++++++++++++++++ IN TOUCH ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++| | There are some 43 million people in the United States whose | | lives were directly and irrevocably touched by the Vietnam | | War. | | | | Almost four million people served in Vietnam -- the longest, | | and perhaps most difficult, war in our history. More than a | | quarter of a million were seriously wounded. 58,175 are dead | | or missing. | | | | Each of those who returned recognizes the true cost of war. | | But so too do the families and friends, wives and lovers of | | those listed on the Wall. They too paid a tremendous price, | | not always recognized... many still do. | | | | Though twenty years have passed, it seems that is the period | | people have needed to get the distance necessary to begin to | | address the unresolved, deeply personal issues that have | | been haunting them since the war. Perhaps that is a measure | | of the pain. | | | | But, the "healing of a nation" that was intended by the | | building of the Memorial, has begun. | | | | In the office of the Friends of the Vietnam Veterans | | Memorial, we hear them on the other end of the phone on | | any given day, and far into the night, they call from all | | corners of the country. | | | | "If only I could find out..." | | "I need to find his family so I can keep my promise..." | | "I just want to talk to someone who was with him... " | | "Please, can you help...?" | | | | At the Wall, we find them every day. Veterans who have not | | spoken of their experiences even to their most intimate | | family members are now beginning, tentatively, to seek a | | responsive ear. | | | | Brothers and sisters, parents and even wives who were simply | | never allowed full expression of their grief because of the | | fierce pressures of the time, are now coming forward, | | looking for someone who can help with their healing. | | | | We hear from children, now 15 - 25 years old, who are | | searching for bits and pieces of information they can | | assemble to help fill that empty place in their lives that | NAM VET Newsletter Page 83 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 | is the father they never knew well, if at all. And they want | | to talk to each other, to share their special needs and the | | unique experience of growing up with a father on the Wall. | | They understand each other all too well. | | | | Millions of Americans need to meet and talk because of the | | Wall, and only the Friends can help them. | | | | Initial discussions with many other national organizations | | whose work brings them into contact with Vietnam veterans | | and their loved ones have attested to the need for IN TOUCH | | and their willingness to help. | | | | Simply put, the Friends will draw on its special work at the | | Memorial, its acquired and available data bases and | | programs designed and integrated by Electronic Data Systems | | (EDS), and the commitment and concern of its volunteers to | | place people with a common association to a name on the Wall | | to be in voluntary communication with each other. | | | | From there, we will let human nature take its good course. | | And let the healing begin. | | | | The starting point for the data base will be the more than | | twenty thousand names of people who have requested name | | rubbings from our volunteers in Washington. Each will be | | contacted and given the opportunity to participate by being | | listed in the IN TOUCH central data base file. | | | | Confidentiality is the keyword to cooperation and IN TOUCH | | will respect the integrity of all lists and records. Lists | | will be unavailable for public use and will not be | | distributed for any commercial purpose. | | | | By its nature, IN TOUCH must reach far beyond the veterans | | community in order to be successful. With professional | | guidance, the Friends will develop a program of on-going | | articles and other coverage in major media markets, high- | | lighting the personal experiences of people as they are put | | "in touch." The International Vietnam Veterans Echo | | Conference via the Herndon Byte eXchange 1:109/316 node as | | the enter point for gathering and disseminating information | | will be used. Aside from bringing the program into public | | awareness, these articles and stories will serve as a val- | | uable tool for public education on a wealth of matters | | relating to the Vietnam era. | | | | As a preliminary test of the IN TOUCH project, the Friends | | has implemented a pilot project to test the design and | | demands of such a program. Several hundred requests with | | full background information have been entered into a system | | designed to match requestor data with the existing Memorial | | data. Even with such a small sample, limited data and a | | fairly unsophisticated cross-indexing system, matches have | | been made and IN TOUCH has produced its first real | | connections. The results have been as profoundly moving for | | the participants as expected. And as gratifying for the | | Friends. | | | NAM VET Newsletter Page 84 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 | But it was clear that the information management system and | | the supporting hardware system would have to be more power- | | ful and more complex in order to handle thousands, perhaps | | hundreds of thousands, of requests. Confidentiality of the | | system and information must be paramount. | | | | With well over 2,000 Vietnam veterans, Electronic Data | | Systems (EDS) became involved and has been generous in its | | assistance with designing the data management systems which | | will be critical to a successful program. The Friends have | | reached a three-year working agreement with EDS which | | promises continuity and maximum potential for success in | | building an information bank that can truly help people in | | their search for others who knew a loved one. | | | | The Friends are delighted that Bob Hope has agreed to make | | a public service announcement which we can use on radio and | | television to help get the word out to the public on the | | availability of the service. | | | | The Friends are also pleased to note that Hewlett Packard, | | Zenith Data Systems, Borland International, FASTCOMM | | Communications Corporation and the First National Bank of | | Chicago have all contributed computer equipment, computer | | software, and office equipment to the project, so they are | | beginning to feel fully functional. | | | | The Friends hear from people who have long been living with | | the pain of loss and looking for a way to heal. For | | instance, the Friends recently received a letter from a | | woman who wrote: | | | | Dear Friends: | | For quite some time I have been searching for a | | way to know my brother. It seems hopeless at times. | | I was 12 when he was killed... I had waited for the | | day he would come back to us. He never did. A part | | of me will always be 12 and continue to wait. | | Thank you for giving me hope that there may be | | a way to find him and bring him home to my heart..." | | | | + + + | | | | The Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial | | Electronic Data Systems | | Herndon Byte eXchange TCOMMnet BBS 1:109/316 | | | |+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++| NAM VET Newsletter Page 85 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 IN-TOUCH Registration/Request Form Input by: Ray "Frenchy" Moreau NAM VETs IN-TOUCH Section Editor Herndon Byte eXchange - Herndon, VA (703) 471-8010 THIS FORM REQUIRES SIGNATURE FOR CONFIDENTIALITY RELEASE PLEASE READ BELOW ------------------------------------------------------------------ I wish to be IN TOUCH with (Please circle and/or comment) Family, Friends and/or Fellow Veterans of the following: __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ ----------- PERSON WHO DID NOT COME BACK FROM VIETNAM ------------ First Name_____________ Middle Name___________ Last Name__________ Relationship to You and/or Reason for Request (Answer as fully as possible)_____________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ ================================================================== -------- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT HIM/HER - IF KNOWN --------- Rank_______ Birth Date ______________ Soc. Sec. # ________________ Tour Date of Birth _______________ Where Buried __________________ Branch of Service: AR__ NA__ AF__ MC__ CG__ RC__ CIV__ (Fill in his/her equivalent unit designations in the spaces below) Division ____________ Brigade ___________ Battalion ______________ Regiment ____________ Company ___________ Ship ___________________ Battles:__________________________________________________________ Locations:________________________________________________________ Nicknames:________________________________________________________ Hometown (while in Nam): ____________________ Home State: ________ ================================================================== ---------------------- INFORMATION ABOUT YOU --------------------- Title___ First Name ____________ Middle/Maiden Name _____________ Last Name ____________________ Address___________________________________________________________ City __________________________________ State ____ Zip: _____-____ Your Home Phone ( ) ____________ Work Phone: ( ) ____________ ---------------- IF YOU ARE A VIETNAM-ERA VETERAN ---------------- Tour date _______________________________ Rank __________________ Branch of Service: AR__ NA __ AF __ MC __ CG __ RC __ CIV __ Fill in your equivalent unit designations in the spaces below Division: __________ Brigade: ___________ Battalion: ___________ Regiment: __________ Company: ___________ Ship: ________________ Battles: _________________________________________________________ Locations: _______________________________________________________ Nicknames: _______________________________________________________ Hometown (when in VN) _______________________ Home State: ________ Comments: ________________________________________________________ NAM VET Newsletter Page 86 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT _____ I give permission to the Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to release my name, address, phone number and relationship to other participants in the IN TOUCH project seeking information on the individual above (strike out phone number if you do not want it released). OR _____ I would like to have the names, addresses, and phone numbers of persons who knew my friend or relative, but prefer NOT to have my name, address, and phone number released. I hereby release the Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial from any and all liability that may arise from the operation of the IN TOUCH project. Signature ____________________________________ Date _____________ NOTE: Do not electronically transmit this form, instead mail to: Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial 1350 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 300 Washington, DC 20036 ----------------------------------------------------------------- NAM VET Newsletter Page 87 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 ================================================================== C o n c e n t r a t e d S e r v i c e ================================================================== VETERAN SERVICE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT VETLink #1 VETLink #1 and its sponsor, Berkshire Veterans Center, Inc., have been in the process of creating an on-line database/information referral source for our nations veterans and their dependents. We've sent a letter to the Director/Commissioner of all 50 states and a few territories requesting any veteran-related information they'd wish to share. To date, we've received replies from the following states/territories: ALABAMA (Frank D. Wilkes, Director) ALASKA (Charles T. Borg, Director) CALIFORNIA (Jesse G. Ugalde, Director) CONNECTICUT (Joseph C. Barber, Deputy Commissioner) FLORIDA (S. F. Stover, Director) GEORGIA (Pete Wheeler, Commissioner) ILLINOIS (John W. Johnston, Director) INDIANA (S. Jeanne Loveless, Program Coordinator) IOWA (Dale Renaud, Director) LOUISIANA (Printice A. Darnell, Executive Director) MINNESOTA (Terrence A. Logan, Director, Agency Relations) MISSOURI (William V. Haynes, Director) NEW HAMPSHIRE (Conrad V. Moran, Director) NEW JERSEY (William G. Kowalski, Director) NEW YORK (Tom Lewis, Director) NORTH CAROLINA (Charles F. Smith, Assistant Director) OHIO (Col. John P. Seimer , Director of Veteran's Affairs) PENNSYLVANIA (Joseph R. Clelan, Director) RHODE ISLAND (Michael F. Gallagher, Casework Supervisor) SOUTH CAROLINA (Bill J. Sams Director) TEXAS (Texas Veterans' Commission/ Garry Mauro - Land Board) VERMONT (Ms. Lyn Boisjoli, Director - State Veterans Affairs) VIRGIN ISLANDS (Verne I. Richards) WEST VIRGINIA (G. L. Harper, Veterans Affairs Chief) WISCONSIN (John J. Maurer, Secretary of Veterans' Affairs) We presently have on-file (but not on-line) state veteran information from Massachusetts, in addition to copies of Title 38, USC and many veteran organization Service Officer manuals and pamphlets. If you live in any of the states/territories listed below -OR- know the CURRENT Director/Commissioner's Address, PLEASE let us know so that we can get a letter off to 'em and collect the information a veteran may need in the near future: RETURNED - We need CURRENT Names & Addresses for: ARIZONA: Arizona Veterans Service Commission - Last known to be in Phoenix, AZ 85013 KANSAS - We need CURRENT Name & Address! NEVADA: Commission for Veterans' Affairs - Last known to be in Reno, NV 89502 NORTH DAKOTA: Department of Veterans' Affairs Last known to be in Fargo, ND 58107 MISSISSIPPI: Veterans' Affairs Commission - Last known to be in Jackson, MS 39205 NAM VET Newsletter Page 88 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 UTAH: Administrator of Veterans' Affairs Last known to be in Salt Lake City, UT 84115 We are STILL trying to find names and addresses for: PANAMA: No Director/Commissioner address found WYOMING: No Director/Commissioner address found If you've got veteran-related information that you feel would be helpful to another veteran if s/he found it on-line, please send it to: G. Joseph Peck, President BERKSHIRE VETERANS' CENTER, INC. Post Office Box 2056 Pittsfield, MA 01202 or place a message in the VIETNAM_VETERANS Echo NAM VET Newsletter Page 89 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 NamVet/IVVEC Concentrated Service Report To keep you abreast of HOW NamVet/IVVEC Concentrated Service is doing, we'll try to run a report every month of the status of efforts currently underway and, if appropriate, apprise you of positive or negative results. -- Letter dated 1/1/90 to Massachusetts' DAV Commander, with text- file copy in IVVEC: To date: NO response - VERBAL or WRITTEN -- Copy of above letter dated 1/1/90 to DAV National Commander, with text-file copy in IVVEC: To date: NO response - VERBAL or WRITTEN -- Letter dated 1/13/90 to U.S. Congressman Silvio O. Conte, with text-file copy in IVVEC was received 3/26/90. Flurry of activity! See following letters included in this issue of NamVet. (Progress again!!!!) -- Letter(s) dated 1/21/90 to Commissioners and Directors of Veterans Affairs in 50 states and 2 Territories, with text- file copy in IVVEC: To date: 24 positive and helpful responses w/literature; 7 letters returned ADDRESSEE NOT HERE UNABLE TO FORWARD We are now beginning to receive newsletters produced by the Veterans Departments of a few states! I will keep you posted here and in the VIETNAM_VETS echo as to continuing developments on any of the above issues. Yours, in Service to America ... and my fellow man In kindness, honesty, and good faith G. Joseph Peck Moderator, VIETNAM_VETERANS INTERNATIONAL ECHO Managing Editor, NAMVET SysOp - VETLINK #1 President, BERKSHIRE VETERANS' CENTER, INC. NAM VET Newsletter Page 90 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 SILVIO O. CONTE WASHINGTON ADDRESS First District, Massachusetts 2300 Rayburn Office Building Washington, DC 20515 COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Phone: 202-225-5335 Ranking Republican Member CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON, DC 20515 SUBCOMMITTEES Labor - Health and Human DISTRICT OFFICES Services - Education Federal Building Transportation 78 Center Street Arterial Pittsfield, MA 01201 LEGISLATIVE Phone: 413-442-0946 Ex Officio Member Of All Subcommittees 187 High Street Holyoke, MA 01040 COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS Phone: 413-532-7010 Subcommittee on Procurement, Innovation, and Minority Enterprises Development MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION COMMISSION April 12, 1990 BOARD OF REGENTS SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Mr. G. Joseph Peck XXX XXXX Street Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201 Dear Mr. Peck: Enclosed herewith, please find the response that I have received from Mr. William T. Johnstone, Assistant Postmaster General in Washington, D.C. As you will note, Mr. Johnstone has explained that it is the perogative of the Office of Personnel Management to hand down determinations with regard to the eligibility of veteran preference spousal transferrals. A decision by the Office of Personnel Management to allow or disallow cannot be overruled by the United States Postal Service. Mr. Johnstone has further mentioned that you may be eligible for other positions with the Postal Service. Mr. Larry DeStafano, Examinations Specialist in Springfield will contact you with regard to this matter. I trust that this information is helpful to you. As always, it is a pleasure to be of service to you. With my continued best wishes and warm regards, I am Cordially yours, /s/ Silvio O. Conte Member of Congress SOC:cl Enclosure NAM VET Newsletter Page 91 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 )| _+|__|_ |--- --| ------------------------=========================== \_______________________________________________) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ NAM VET Newsletter Page 92 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL Government Relations Department Washington, DC 20260-3500 April 10, 1990 Honorable Silvio O. Conte Member of Congress Federal Building 78 Center Street Arterial Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201-5092 Dear Congressman Conte: This is in response to your March 19 letter to Postmaster General Anthony M. Frank on behalf of Mr. G. Joseph Peck, concerning Postal Service employment. The Veterans' Preference Act applies to the Postal Service as it does to other federal agencies. In compliance with that Act, the Postal Service has established procedures to implement its provi- sions. Appointing officers make the decision on claims for most types of preference. However, cases involving wife or mother preference based upon physical disqualifications of an ex-service husband or child, must be made by a medical officer. Appointing officers at installations are required to refer such claims to the nearest area office of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for determination. Therefore, the decision by OPM to dis- allow transfer of 10-point spouse preference to Mr. Peck's wife cannot be overruled by this agency. Mr. Peck may be eligible for other positions with the Postal Service. Springfield Examinations Specialist Larry DeStefano will contact Mr. Peck regarding other available positions and their requirements. In the meantime, should Mr. Peck wish to contact Mr. DeStefano, he may call him at (413) 731-0268. He is aware of Mr. Peck's concerns and is in the best position to advise him of postal employment opportunities. Enclosed is additional information on our selection procedures. If I may be of further assistance, please let me know. Sincerely, /s/ William T. Johnstone Enclosure NAM VET Newsletter Page 93 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 XXX XXXX Street Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201 19 April 90 The Honorable Silvio O. Conte, Member of Congress 78 Center Street Arterial Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201 Dear Congressman Conte: I received your April 12, 1990 letter with enclosures today. Thank you for all the work you've been doing in and on my behalf with respect to my 1986 denied and consistently appealed employment with the US Post Office. From my 8 Mar 90 letter to Postmaster General Frank: "Since 1986 I have been denied the position applied for at the Pittsfield, MA USPO - without even a chance to try - and all retirement and other attendant benefits that come with federal employment. Since 1988, my wife has not been afforded the 10-points preference that were mine. In both instances, my family has been shortchanged and deprived. I am sure this is not the way the USPO really is." Your March 19, 1990 letter advised me that you were forwarding all the information I had prepared and delivered to your office to Postmaster General Frank. The reply you forwarded me came from Assistant Postmaster General Johnstone. I would hope that you don't feel I'm a tad ungrateful for his response but, somehow, he seems to overlook the above-quoted paragraph in my letter to Postmaster Frank. His response also seems to make inconsequential the FACT that we have now invested 4 (FOUR) years in attempting to work for the US Post Office - and completely overlooks the FACT that I wasn't even given a chance to TRY! (For Your Information: My efforts at attaining US Post Office employment go back quite a few years. I originally took a US Postal Exam in Los Angeles, CA in 1966, passed with extremely high scores, had the scores trans- ferred to Hartford, CT. At that time I was offered MANY different postal positions but never accepted - in EACH of those offered positions I was CERTAINLY ENCOURAGED to at least TRY!!!) While I sincerely appreciate what you and your staff are doing in and on my behalf with respect to my employment (or lack thereof) with the US Post Office, in that the answer furnished to you by Assistant Postmaster General William T. Johnstone is not satisfactory in that it did not address the issues brought to your attention and that of Postmaster General Frank but only appeared to open the door to another round of foot-dragging, lip service, and raised hopes of possible employment which, as it has in the past, will most predictably result in disappointment. Yours, In Service to America ... and my fellow man In kindness, honesty, and good faith /s/ G. Joseph Peck GJP/jct cc Files NAM VET Newsletter Page 94 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 __________ \ IVVEC \ _____) SERVICE )_____ _________(____(________(______(@) ) ) / O O O O O O O O O/_/| /<> O O O O O O O O O/ | /MM O O O O O O O MM/ | / ___________ / . /O (___________) O O/. (====================( NAM VET Newsletter Page 95 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 XXX XXXX Street Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201 20 April 90 The Honorable Silvio O. Conte, Member of Congress 78 Center Street Arterial Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201 Dear Congressman Conte: There are often times, Sir, when I wish I'd held off my responses to a letter, communication, or action for at least a day before I quickly sat down at my computer and fired off a letter. When I wrote yesterday's letter to you, I kept telling myself "Wait. Wait. Wait!". My concerns that you (or any person in a position such as yours) should know a constituents feelings sort of won out. I'm surprised that I quickly fired off a letter to you letting you know that, to me, the response from the USPO was unsatis- factory. I'm even more surprised that you, knowing what I've been through for at least the last 9 years, would find the response from the USPO acceptable. But, being employed yourself and not having to be concerned about just meeting the daily needs of yourself, your staff, and your family, I can understand how you and I would tend to view things in a different perspective. I keep asking myself, "HOW do you feel that the answer furnished you is unsatisfactory?" Here's what I keep answering: 1. I surmised from my communication and involvement with Congressman Conte's office that my letter and concerns regarding USPO employment would be given directly to Postmaster General Frank. The response Congressman Conte and I received was not from Postmaster General Frank, but his Assistant. Did Congressman Conte actually bring this matter to the attention of Postmaster Frank? Did my concerns get HIS attention? 2. Nearly four years ago, after successfully completing a Postal Exam and completing two interviews at the USPO Pittsfield, MA, I was looking forward to working at a job that would bring my family an income of at least $17000 per year (four times 17000 = $68000 - the MINIMUM amount that my family and I have been deprived of). As a result of it being judged that "postal carrier work would be injurious to my health" (NOT that I could not THEN perform the duties of the position), I was simultaneously denied the position and my name was removed from the list of those eligible for consideration for a Clerk/Carrier position. Assistant Postmaster General Johnstone's response brushed aside the fact that, had my name NOT been removed from the list of those eligible for consideration for Clerk/Carrier, it was possible that another Post Office in the area COULD have used an inside carrier or window attendant. 3. Assistant Postmaster General Johnstone's response that NAM VET Newsletter Page 96 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 "Mr. Peck may be eligible for other positions with the Postal Service." simultaneously seems vague and again overlooks the four year period that my name has been removed from any list of eligibles. Understandably, Mr. Johnstone's response HAS to be vague where he's mentioning "...MAY be eligible for other positions..." BUT he makes NO comment concerning the apparently inappropriate removal of my name from the list of eligibles nor the denial of, at least, the opportunity to TRY Postal Carrier work (there IS a probationary period that ALL USPO employees are subject to upon their hire) 4. The USPO denied ME the position I applied for. If that is the case and they wouldn't give ME the job BECAUSE OF MY DISABILITIES, since my wife now HAS to work in order for our family to survive, at least the USPO could have allowed the transference of my 10-points preference to her for a similar position. When Assistant Postmaster General Johnstone replied that " ... cases involving wife or mother preference based upon physical disqualifications of an ex-service husband or child, must be made by a medical officer. ... Therefore, the decision by OPM to disallow transfer of 10-point spouse preference to Mr. Peck's wife cannot be overruled by this agency.", it sort of reminded me of a ping-pong match between the USPO and OPM. On one side of the table is OPM saying, "Its the USPO's decision". On the other, the USPO saying, "...cannot be overruled by this agency." It also indicated, to me, for my wife to gain the 10- points preference because her husband has been physically disqualified for a USPO position, we would have to file appropriate appeals/claims with OPM. And then, as in the past, OPM would say, "Its the USPO's decision." It seems a real good exercise in "passing-the-buck" - with no one really wanting to make a decision. I know that you and your office were happy to send me the news from the Assistant Postmaster General's office, and I know, too, that, had you not experienced what I have, you would have felt a certain optimistic promise reading that "Springfield Examinations Specialist Larry DeStefano will contact Mr. Peck regarding other available positions and their requirements." "I" felt happy when I opened your letter and saw an enclosure from the US Postal Service. In the process of declaring Chapter 13 bankruptcy (Attorney XXXXXXX XXXXX is our representative in this issue); on the verge of losing our house and home; working as a dishwasher (at the XXXXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXX, XXXXXXXXXXX, MA) - 'cause I've been non- successful with my efforts at seeking employment and I HAVE to take care of my family; my VA Claim for Unemployability again denied and now awaiting notice from an appeal of its denial (with new evidence furnished)... almost totally sleepless nights (I'm writing this at 4 in the morning - Worried, I've been up all night again... I hope, Congressman Conte, that I've detailed in a better manner the reasons WHY I felt the response from the USPO was "not satis- factory" - and that I've somehow communicated to you WHY you and I, at this time, MIGHT see things in a different perspective. NAM VET Newsletter Page 97 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 THANK YOU for understanding - and for helping where you can. Yours, in Service to America ... and my fellow man In kindness, honesty, and good faith /s/ G. Joseph Peck GJP/jct cc Files NAM VET Newsletter Page 98 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 SILVIO O. CONTE WASHINGTON ADDRESS First District, Massachusetts 2300 Rayburn Office Building Washington, DC 20515 COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Phone: 202-225-5335 Ranking Republican Member CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON, DC 20515 SUBCOMMITTEES Labor - Health and Human DISTRICT OFFICES Services - Education Federal Building Transportation 78 Center Street Arterial Pittsfield, MA 01201 LEGISLATIVE Phone: 413-442-0946 Ex Officio Member Of All Subcommittees 187 High Street Holyoke, MA 01040 COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS Phone: 413-532-7010 Subcommittee on Procurement, Innovation, and Minority Enterprises Development MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION COMMISSION April 20, 1990 BOARD OF REGENTS SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Mr. G. Joseph Peck XXX XXXX Street Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201 Dear Mr. Peck: Once again, I am writing to acknowledge receipt of the two letters you hand delivered to my Pittsfield Office which voiced your objections to the response received from the office of the Postmaster General in Washington, D.C. Please note, Mr. Peck, that I have again forwarded your correspondence to Postmaster General, Anthony Frank, for his review and have pointed out that you require a personal response directly from him. As always, I will not delay in sending you the response that I receive from Mr. Frank. Wish my best wishes and warm regards, I am Cordially yours, /s/ Silvio O. Conte Member of Congress SOC:cl NAM VET Newsletter Page 99 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 XXX XXXX Street Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201 7 May 90 The Honorable Silvio O. Conte, Member of Congress 78 Center Street Arterial Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201 Dear Congressman Conte: This is an update to my situation concerning lack of employment within the US Postal Service that you have so often helped me with during the past few years. On or about 26 April 90, stating that he'd received a telephone call that date from Washington DC to "call Mr. Peck", Examinations Specialist Mr. Larry DeStefano ofthe Springfield, MA Post Office telephoned me to see if there was anything he could do to answer my questions and/or resolve the situation concerning employment positions within the US Post Service. Mr. DeStefano informed me that he was at a slight disadvantage because he only had my name and no other records or information to deal with. As best I could, I attempted to "fill him in" on how we got to where we are now. Mr. DeStefano then described US Postal Service positions such as Custodian and Letter Sorter (which entails sitting at a machine and keying in the correct destination for an article of mail according to its Zip Code) for which a disabled veteran is specifically entitled and that there are no examination requirements other than proof of disability. Saying that examinations for those type of positions would not be held for at least two months and that the letter-sorter position is in the process of being phased out, Mr. DeStefano asked for my Social Security Number, address, and telephone number and said that he would put me on the list for any future examinations and that I would be mailed notification of when/where to report. I deeply appreciate your involvement and concern in this situation and will promptly advise you should I be offered - and allowed to begin - employment within the Postal Service. Yours, in Service to America ... and my fellow man In kindness, honesty, and good faith /s/ G. Joseph Peck GJP/jct cc Files NAM VET Newsletter Page 100 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Now we've done it __________ \ NamVet \ _____) Summary )_____ _________(____(_________(_____(@) ) ) gjp / O O O O O O O O O/_/| /<> O O O O O O O O O/ | /MM O O O O O O O MM/ | / ___________ / . /O (___________) O O/. 9 May 90 (====================( Well... now that we're in sort of a "holding pattern" waiting for the US Postal Service to come through with their possible employment, it seems like a good time to review what's transpired with this entire matter in a way that YOU - or someone you know - may be able to positively benefit from it. When the veteran (me, in this instance) successfully completed the examination for Postal Clerk/Carrier and two subsequent interviews with the USPO but was eventually denied the position because of his service-connected disabilities, an appeal of the decision was made to Office of Personnel Management in Washington, DC which was denied. Since the veteran was denied USPO employment, he then requested that his 10-points veteran-preference be granted his spouse, who was also seeking USPO employment. That, too, was denied. Finally, he took everything to his congressman. The congressman began, essentially, the SAME steps that the veteran had already taken. After two or three of these "steps," the veteran, in a letter to the congressman, objected to "duplication of efforts" and requested that another approach be taken. The congressman's office suggested that the veteran write a letter to the United States Postmaster General. Upon receipt of the letter from the veteran, the congressman's office assured the veteran that the congressman would personally see to it that the Postmaster General received the letter. A few months passed and the veteran received news from his congressman that the Assistant Postmaster General had replied to his letter. At first pleased that he HAD heard something from both the congressman and the Postmaster General's office, the veteran then took a second look and objected to the letter, stating that it was "not acceptable," hand-delivering a letter to the congressman's office. A few hours passed, the veteran thought that the congressman should know WHY he'd objected to the contents of the letter from the Assistant Postmaster General, and explained and detailed the reasons in a second letter to the congressman, which he also hand-delivered the following morning. Now CLEARLY understanding the veterans' position, the congressman wrote back to the veteran that he would do all possible to see to it that the Postmaster General was aware of the veterans situation(s). NAM VET Newsletter Page 101 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 In educational summation: If there's something that displeases you and you involve your political representatives, be sure to explain to them in the greatest detail possible EXACTLY what it is that you, as a veteran/dependent/other, are seeking. It helps your representative do the things you ask of them. I will keep you all apprised of any changes in this situation - but, for now, I think we've got a pretty good handle on it. Ci'ao for Ni'ao -Joe- __________ \ NamVet \ _____) Summary )_____ _________(____(_________(_____(@) ) ) gjp / O O O O O O O O O/_/| /<> O O O O O O O O O/ | /MM O O O O O O O MM/ | / ___________ / . /O (___________) O O/. 9 May 90 (====================( NAM VET Newsletter Page 102 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 ================================================================== I V V E C & N a m V e t - W H E R E ? ================================================================== The NAM VET Roll Call The following are the current locations where the NamVet newsletter and Annual editions are currently sent and, as I understand it, available for Bark/Wazoo File Requests. FidoNet & AlterNet Nodes: ------------------------ Scott McKnight 1:389/2001 Blytheville, Arkansas Mike Nelson 1:125/20 Burlingame, California Greg Peters 1:103/232 La Mirada, California Sam Saulys 1:141/488 Branford, Connecticut John McCorkle 1:369/10 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Charles Harper 1:370/10 West Athens, Georgia Gene Clayton 1:161/414 Kauai, Hawaii Gordon Kaough 1:380/5 Lake Charles, LA Mort Sternheim 1:321/109 Amherst, Massachusetts G. Joseph Peck 1:321/203 Pittsfield, Massachusetts Pete Farias 1:321/210 Pittsfield, Massachusetts Vern Pero 1:321/212 Dalton, Massachusetts Jim Henthorn 1:261/1044 Baltimore, Maryland Bob Rudolph 1:261/0 Reisterstown, Maryland Wayne Parrish 1:308/20 Alamogordo, New Mexico Chuck Haynes 1:308/60 Alamogordo, New Mexico Mike Connealy 1:305/101 Las Cruces, New Mexico Kathleen Kelly 1:1033/0 Staten Island, New York Tom Mickus 1:480/114 Toronto, Ontario, Canada Bob Currie 1:105/204 Milwaukie, Oregon Luis Salazar 1:367/16 San Juan, P.R. Jerry Hindle 7:48/0 Stratford Heights, Tennessee Aaron Schmiedel 1:124/4106 Dallas, Texas Carrie Brown 1:130/10 Fort Worth, Texas Rick Edwards 1:106/113 Houston, Texas Bob Davis 1:106/116 Houston, Texas Art Fellner 1:106/437 Missouri City, Texas Ray Moreau 1:109/316 Herndon, Virginia Jim Barth 1:350/21 Brownsville, Washington Ralph Sims 1:350/341 Grapeview, Washington Other Nets: ---------- Martin Kroll MetroLink Chatsworth, GA Lefty Frizzell RelayNet Houston, Texas Ed Lucas QuickLink Houston, Texas Edward Green Shop Qbbs Exeter, NH (603)778-1698 Areas not covered: If *-YOUR-* BBS is in any of the areas listed below *-AND-* you have the NAM VET available for File Requests, please let us know your BBS (and SysOp) Name, its net/node number (if any), and its telephone number so that we might be able to direct a user in *- YOUR-* area to you. NAM VET Newsletter Page 103 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - Australian Continent - All European Continent - All Alabama Alaska Arizona Calgary, Canada Colorada Delaware Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Maine Minnesota Wisconsin Mississippi Missouri Connecticut Montana Nebraska New Jersey Nevada North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Utah Vancouver, B.C Vermonts Washington, D.C. West Virginia Winnipeg, Canada Wyoming Thanx for your help... Ci'ao for Ni'ao -Joe- NamVet's Managing Editor NAM VET Newsletter Page 104 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Parameters of VIETNAM_VETS echoconference... This message will be placed in the VIETNAM_VETS echomail area at regular intervals. This message constitutes the parameters regarding the use, access and distribution of the VIETNAM_VETS EchoConference. LEGALITIES: VIETNAM_VETS is an International "veteran-support" EchoConference that is privately owned and operated as both a support mechanism and outreach effort by its originator, Todd Looney and G. Joseph Peck, President, Berkshire Veterans' Center, Inc. VIETNAM_VETS is moderated by G. Joseph Peck. The ECHOMAIL COORDINATOR of VIETNAM_VETS is presently G. Joseph Peck - FidoNet 1:321/203; AlterNet 7:46/203 (1-413-443-6313). VIETNAM_VETS is carried as a courtesy and service to America's veterans on the FidoNet echomail "backbone" and through parts of AlterNet and other networks. Where policies of FidoNet or other networks and those of VIETNAM_VETS conflict, every effort will be made to reach an amicable solution to any posed problem. The right is herein reserved by the Moderator/EchoMail Coordinator, G. Joseph Peck, to remove VIETNAM_VETS from a network should the policies of that network prove to be obstructive rather than conducive to the mission of this EchoConference. OVERVIEW: For some Vietnam Veterans, every day is a bitter struggle to survive as they try to find some way to either escape the horrible memories of that war or to come to terms with themselves so they and their families can begin a normal life. For other veterans of the Vietnam era there is often a fervent desire for comradery with members of the military who also served during that troubled time in our nations history. Until May of 1986 and the creation of the International Vietnam Veterans EchoConference (IVVEC) at the Vietnam Veterans' Valhalla, finding a way to satisfy the needs of these - the toughest, most persistent and determined veterans in ALL of US history - as well as give non-veterans and others a chance to interact and learn firsthand from the Vietnam veterans about the war and its complexities, was difficult at best. IVVEC has changed all that! DESCRIPTION: VIETNAM_VETS is an "open forum" type conversational conference for the discussion of topics related to service in the Southeast Asian and other theaters, crisis support and possible intervention, state and federal benefit entitlements, employment rights and guarantees, discharge upgrading, and other veteran service-oriented topics. PURPOSE: The purpose of the International VIETNAM_VETS EchoConference (IVVEC) is to be the support vehicle through which the veteran, particularly the Vietnam veteran, and his or her family will have an opportunity to communicate about his or her war experiences, often for the first time since returning from Vietnam. Each of us - as veterans, significant and/or concerned others - participate in the IVVEC to help each other with support, suggestions, ideas and comments. Together, as one of America's proudest groups, we can share resources and experiences which will strengthen and build our fellow veterans and may help provide a NAM VET Newsletter Page 105 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 guide through the labyrinth of state and federal services many of us have honorably earned and have every right to expect. HANDLES: The use of "handles" in VIETNAM_VETS is allowed, only if the handle that you use is the name you normally use on the board on which you access the conference. MESSAGE CONTENT(S): Personal attacks on individuals whose sometimes-strong opinions differ from the IVVEC "norm" are discouraged. The object is to learn from and support others, not argue with them or "go for their throat"! Aside from the parameter concerning attacks upon other users, it is hereby stipulated that messages in the conference will use tasteful language. Flames, comments, suggestions and such should be addressed to the conference moderator/coordinator via netmail at 1:321/203 and NOT posted in the EchoConference. Generally, messages should relate to the discussion of topics related to service in the Southeast Asian and other theaters, crisis support and possible intervention, state and federal benefit entitlements, employment rights and guarantees, discharge upgrading, as related to prior military service. ADVERTISING: Advertising of for-profit organizations is not allowed. Acceptable advertising is that which announces a veteran-oriented BBS, supports a veteran-related enterprise of a veteran-member of the EchoConference, or of the efforts of a nationally recognized veterans' group or organization. DISTRIBUTION: The conference is commonly known as the International Vietnam Veterans EchoConference (IVVEC) and is distributed throughout America, Canada and parts of Australia as "VIETNAM_VETS". Distribution in America is generally via the FidoNet backbone which is part of the distribution topology currently in effect. Other nets distributing the VIETNAM_VETS EchoConference are asked to follow proper procedures for zonegating as established by the FIDONET International Coordinator. All messages in the echo MUST have an ORIGIN: line which should contain the word ORIGIN: followed by the originating systems name, zone, net, node and point number if applicable. Distributing messages between systems of various networks without authorized zonegating and/or changing of distribution topology beyond the original transfer is in direct violation of the distribution topology of this conference. Fido-AlterNet Nodelist as of 03/01/90, Sorted by Area Code Also received on RelayNet; MetroLink; QuickLink Max Net/Node Name, City Telephone No Baud ========= ================================= ============== == 7:520/563 3 EEE's BBS, Clifton NJ Ed Edell 1-201-340-3531 96 107/563 EEE's BBS Clifton NJ Ed Edell 1-201-340-3531 96 141/488 Alice's Restaurant Branford CT 1-203-488-1115 24 141/250 Wilton Woods Wilton, CT 1-203-762-8481 96 124/201 Hardwired Dallas, TX 1-204-931-2987 24 344/117 LSO QuickBBS, Everett WA 1-206-334-3088 96 344/9 The Precedent, Everett WA 1-206-355-1295 ? 138/35 US HDS Human Service Seattle, WA 1-206-442-8127 24 NAM VET Newsletter Page 106 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 343/26 AFMINS BBS 1-206-488-4309 96 343/111 Lessor Puget TB Edmonds, WA 1-206-742-8067 24 138/52 Burrell's Ballpark Tacoma, WA 1-206-752-4672 24 138/4 PTC Net Mount Vernon, WA 1-206-757-5248 24 138/49 The Cohort Puyallup, WA 1-206-848-2646 96 138/101 Story Board Puyallup, WA 1-206-848-5317 96 138/3 Reg17 ADVISOR EMERITUS Puyallup WA 1-206-848-9232 24 200/200 CSULB Long Beach, CA 1-213-494-8737 12 200/100 The Board Room Belmont Shores CA 1-213-498-6425 24 124/117 NCC-1701 Node 1 Dallas, TX 1-214-240-8821 24 124/106 CHAI Way II Dallas, TX 1-214-250-3323 96 136/200 The Chai Way II Austin, TX 1-214-358-3738 24 124/4210 Hardwired Dallas TX 1-214-437-4075 96 124/110 Flying Dutchman Dallas, TX 1-214-642-3436 96 124/14 Chrysalis Dallas, TX 1-214-985-9054 24 157/501 The PC-Key BBS Girard OH 1-216-545-9205 24 157/1 Auer Register Cleveland, OH 1-216-883-0578 24 227/1 Michiana TechLine Mishawaka, IN 1-219-258-0286 96 227/150 The SX Project Whiting IN 1-219-659-2711 24 13/33 Avi-Technic Lutherville, MD 1-301-252-0717 96 109/648 Falcon's Rock College Park, MD 1-301-345-7459 24 261/1004 The PainFrame 1-301-488-7461 ? 13/30 The Futurists BBS Perry Hall, MD 1-301-529-0716 96 109/717 Tin Badge BBS Silver Spring, MD 1-301-589-2016 12 109/722 Ronnie's Roadies, Camp Springs MD 1-301-736-0135 12 261/628 Liberty Hall Reisterstown, MD 1-301-833-8933 24 261/1044 Firestation BBS, Baltimore, MD 1-301-866-8613 24 261/1007 FINAL FRONTIER 1-301-947-4404 ? 104/51 P2 B2 South Denver, CO 1-303-329-3337 24 104/28 Pinecliff BBS Boulder, CO 1-303-444-7073 24 128/16 Firenet Leader Colorado Springs CO 1-303-591-9600 24 104/739 The Phoenix Parker, CO 1-303-841-9570 24 135/35 The Sober Way Out BBS Miami, FL 1-305-445-6917 24 135/27 Bitsy's Place Miami Beach FL 1-305-865-0495 96 232/4 Runways End OPUS Peoria, IL 1-309-691-5416 96 115/20 North Shore BBS Evanston, IL 1-312-491-2611 24 115/529 Elk Grove Repeater Elk Grv Vlg IL 1-312-529-1586 24 115/761 ICS/TRIX 1 OPUS Chicago, IL 1-312-761-7887 24 11/202 SouthSide BBS Indianapolis, IN 1-317-882-9330 12 380/5 Duffy's Tavern Recovery Board 1-318-436-2992 96 285/622 Friend's BBS Omaha, NE Joan Renne 1-402-896-2669 24 370/5 Athens Forum Athens, GA 1-404-546-7857 96 370/11 Classic City Vet's Conf, Athens, GA1-404-548-0130 ? 370/10 Classic Quick Echo, Athens, GA 1-404-548-0726 24 128/13 COSUG-Colorado's User Clrdo Spg CO 1-719-633-4563 24 385/6 Bink's Barn Lawton, OK 1-405-357-2473 24 385/4 Info-Net Lawton, OK 1-405-357-6181 24 147/14 Dark Star TBBS Oklahoma City, OK 1-405-691-0863 96 363/10 Midas Touch Orlando, FL 1-407-648-1133 24 363/9 MaMaB--Mark's Bedroom, Orlanda, FL 1-407-894-0807 96 157/506 Beacon Hill OPUS Transfer, PA 1-412-962-9514 24 321/109 PIONEER VALLEY PCUG #1 Amherst, MA 1-413-256-1037 96 321/203 VETLink #1 Pittsfield, MA 1-413-443-6313 24 321/210 Berkshire_Estates Pittsfield, MA 1-413-499-1327 96 154/200 PC-Express Greenfield, WI 1-414-327-5300 24 139/640 Fox Valley Tech Appleton, WI 1-414-735-2513 24 125/78 Living Sober BBS San Mateo, CA 1-415-342-2859 24 143/20 SeaHunt BBS, Burlington, CA 1-415-343-5904 96 143/86 Cat's Tail BBS STOP San Mateo CA 1-415-349-8245 24 NAM VET Newsletter Page 107 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 161/208 G.A.D.M. Multi-User Hayward, CA 1-415-581-3019 ? 125/31 Echo Coord San Francisco CA 1-415-621-5206 96 161/56 Nat'l Family Forum Freemont, CA 1-415-651-4147 24 161/1 Nerd's Nook Concord CA 1-415-672-2504 96 161/509 Enterprize Pinole, CA 1-415-758-1650 24 161/7 Mover Mouse BBS Fremont, CA 1-415-883-1644 24 11/700 FCAU IBM Net Toronto, ON 1-416-427-0682 96 148/120 Genetic Research Vat Toronto ON 1-416-480-0551 24 14/703 Telen-Quest BBS 1-417-882-5108 ? 19/43 McScott's BBS, Blytheville AR 1-502-532-6212 96 105/61 Shotgun OPUS Portland, OR 1-503-760-4521 24 105/16 Net 105 EchoMail Hub Portland, OR 1-503-761-3003 24 305/105 Desert Dolphin, Las Cruces, NM 1-505-523-2811 96 322/230 Denis's OPUS, Ayer, MA (Ft.Devins) 1-508-772-6373 ? 382/1 Crystal Palace Lake Travis, TX 1-512-339-8037 24 387/401 Comp-U-Gen II San Antonio TX 1-512-496-9373 24 387/601 NCOA Intl BBS San Antonio TX 1-512-653-0409 24 382/14 Corona Del Mar Rockport, TX 1-512-729-7026 96 110/20 EDS Data Dayton, OH 1-513-455-2431 24 221/156 Waterloo CBCS PUBLIC Waterloo, ON 1-519-746-5020 96 153/130 VETSTAR (Northwest) 1-602-462-8752 24 114/13 Corwin's Keep Tempe AZ 1-602-644-0179 24 132/101 BBS Source Archive Nashua, NH 1-603-888-8179 24 153/123 DAETECH Burnaby BC 1-604-420-2641 96 153/133 Hot Line Data Network Langley BC 1-604-533-0421 24 220/20 Old Frog's Almanac Nanaimo BC 1-604-758-3072 24 153/508 Ebenezer Christian BBS Mission BC 1-604-826-6607 96 108/50 The ZOO BBS Independence, KY 1-606-283-2040 24 108/105 Global Time Systems Cincinnati, OH 1-606-341-7910 24 108/90 DATANET Info System Erlanger KY 1-606-727-3638 24 150/803 Jersey Vertex Moorestown, NJ 1-609-869-0139 24 362/1 The Mines of Moria Chattanooga, TN 1-615-344-9601 24 362/501 Coconut Telegraph Chattanooga, TN 1-615-698-4858 24 10/215 Silver BBS San Diego, CA 1-619-226-4502 24 202/401 jabberWOCky Escondido CA 1-619-743-9935 24 109/639 The RENEX BBS Woodbridge, VA 1-703-494-8331 24 109/124 ZEPHYR National Capital Area 1-703-620-5418 96 109/604 ShanErin Alexandria, VA 1-703-941-8291 24 379/201 Metro Link Charlotte, NC 1-704-553-9534 96 125/7 Survival Forum Santa Rosa, CA 1-707-545-0746 96 125/12 The Grape Vine Santa Rosa, CA 1-707-546-4938 24 161/502 Wildcat Benicia CA 1-707-746-5820 24 106/132 Fast BBS OPUS Katy, TX 1-713-392-0093 24 106/114 The Fireside Houston, TX 1-713-496-6319 24 106/357 TMBBS Houston, TX 1-713-497-5433 24 106/108 Stormy Weather I Houston, TX 1-713-644-4345 96 106/113 The Opus Network Houston, TX 1-713-780-4153 24 106/386 Info Center Exchange Houston TX 1-713-872-4429 24 106/111 Shutterbug's OPUS Houston, TX 1-713-880-4329 24 103/507 Philosopher's Log Anaheim CA 1-714-535-1258 96 103/501 Mount Silverthorn Tustin, CA 1-714-544-3369 24 7:441/1 Lord Frog Of Swamp 1-715-362-3895 ? 13/1033 NY Transfer Staten Island, NY 1-718-448-2358 24 12/7 HPCUA Honolulu HI 1-808-422-8406 96 12/1 Aura Net Honolulu, HI 1-808-533-0190 24 130/5 CUSSNET UTA Arlington, TX 1-817-273-3966 24 366/38 Jolly Green Giant Shalimar, FL 1-904-651-3875 96 19/5 Micro Application El Paso TX 1-915-594-9738 24 381/201 Pro Link San Angelo, TX 1-915-944-2952 24 NAM VET Newsletter Page 108 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 161/943 Eagle's Nest Sacramento, CA 1-916-334-2822 96 161/39 Nightline Mather AFB, CA 1-916-362-1755 24 161/11 The Byte Boutique Sacramento CA 1-916-483-8032 24 161/5 River City II OPUS Sacramento, CA 1-916-646-9678 96 161/34 Now and Zen OPUS Fair Oaks CA 1-916-962-1952 96 151/601 VMC-BBS Winston-Salem NC 1-919-744-0883 24 151/100 NC Central Raleigh, NC 1-919-851-8460 96 151/1000 REDCON Raleigh, NC 1-919-859-3353 96 632/350 Yarra Valley BBS Melbourne AU 61-3-848-331 12 NAM VET Newsletter Page 109 Volume 4, Number 5 May 9, 1990 Some Gave ALL ... Some Still Give!!! O O O SOME GAVE ALL ... ________O__________________________________O______________ ! O O ! ! pow mia pow mia - BRING THEM HOME NOW! - pow mia pow mia ! ! O O ! ! ~~~~~ ~ ~ O~ ~~~ ~~ ~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~ O ~~ ~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~ ! ! ~~~~ ~ ~~ O ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~ ~O~~~ ~~~ ~ ~~~~ ~~ ! ! ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ O~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~ O ~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~ ! ! ~~~ ~~ ~~ ~ O ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~ O ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~ ~ ! ! ~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ O ~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ O ~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~ ! ! ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~ O ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~ O ~ ~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~ ! ! ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~ O ~_~_~_~_~_ ~ O ~ ~~~~ ~ ~ ~~~ ~~ ~~ ! ! ~~~ ~ ~ ~~~ ~~ ~ O ) O ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~~ ! ! ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ /(O) / O \ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~~ ~ ~ ! ! ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~ / / O \~~~~ ~~ ~~~~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ ! ! ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ / PRISONER / \~~ ~~ ~~ ~~~ ~ ~~~~~~ ! ! ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~ / / MISSING \~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~~ ~ ~~ ! ! ~~~ ~ ~~ ~~ / OF /\ \~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~~~ ~ ! ! ~ ~~~~ ~~ ~ / / \ IN \~ ~~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ! ! ~~~ ~~~ ~ / WAR / ~~ \ \ ~~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ! ! ~ ~~ ~~ ~ / / ~ ~~ \ ACTION / ~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~ ! ! ~~ ~~ ~~~(__________/ ~~ ~~~ \ / ~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ! ! ~~~~~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~~ \ / ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ! ! ~~ ~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~ ~~~ \ / ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~~~~~ ! ! ~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~~ \ /~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ ~ ! ! ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~ ~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ! ~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ ~~~ ~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~ SOME STILL GIVE ! ~ ~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ! ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ! ! mia pow mia pow - BRING THEM HOME NOW! - mia pow mia pow ! !__________________________________________________________! NAM VET Newsletter Page 110