Unlike their Greatest Generation predecessors, many Vietnam veterans came home to an unappreciative and hostile country. In previous conflicts, victory parades and jubilant celebrations were held to celebrate our veterans return marking the end of the conflict. However, during Vietnam anti-war sentiment caused many of our veterans to return to a country ungrateful for their dedicated military service and self-sacrifice. It is now time to acknowledge and right this wrong.
Like today, in the 1960s we were a divided nation – you were either for the war “My country right or wrong,” or against it “Hell no, we won’t go !” There was no middle ground. Protestors took to the streets often spewing hate and inflicting physical violence toward those serving our nation. The war in Vietnam became both a lightning rod a quagmire and unfortunately our service men and women bore the brunt of the nation’s frustration.
In Vietnam they endured both constant physical and mental danger in a faraway war only to come home to face a similar assault not by the enemy but by the American public. It was not only the hateful rhetoric that was directed at them but also the physical rejection as many were ostracized and treated by their peers like outsiders in their own country. Many returned not as heroes but as strangers in a strange land. This often led to a deepening of the psychological scars of war we know today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.
However, fifty years later contrary to popular misconception, we see a resilient and vibrant veteran population formed in the crucible of war. Many Vietnam veterans utilized their proven leadership and commitment to service and are the current leaders in our local communities. In addition, they served as the genesis for many contemporary physical and mental health programs that have been developed to assist veterans from subsequent conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan. They too have integrated back into civilian life while coping with external and internal battle scars.
Mental health remains a leading issue for all veterans. For many the internal scars of battle continue to haunt them both day and night. We still have too many homeless vets, too many broken families as well too many veterans taking their own lives. As a nation, we need to ensure all of our veterans get the care and service they have rightfully earned. Many have pushed through to the other side of their personal darkness overcoming insurmountable burdens but unfortunately, others remain held hostage to a conflict that has held them captive for more than fifty years.
They fought in a war that was not popular and returned to a country where many of them were shunned because of their faithful and honorable service. Rest assured that you are not forgotten, and you will always have a place in America’s history – we salute you!
