RSteve
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2008
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I think there is an incredibly large divide between the two. One of my closest friends retired from the Army as a Command Sergeant Major. He served 27 years without ever being engaged in combat. I served two years in the Army, discharged as E-6; 15 months in Vietnam, 7/68 thru 9/69. He reminisces endlessly about his wonderful service time and how angry he was that his last physical ended his time in service. I don't talk about my time in service to anyone but another VietVet combat veteran.
I was a co-author of the legislation in MN that awarded Vietnam Veterans a cash bonus. It was written, originally, to award veterans of all branches who served in country during the war, whether they were combat troop or recreation leader in Cam Ran Bay. Each veteran was to get a bonus based on months served, minimum $1000. The most vehement opposition to the proposed legislation came from the Minnesota American Legion and the U. of MN Campus Veterans Club (which had no VietVets in its membership). They lobbied hard to make the bonus a Vietnam Era bonus, payable to every MN veteran, whether they served in Vietnam or at Fort Snelling in MN. It wound up an era bonus for $300 for every veteran. My son-in-law's father is close to my age. He did six years Air Force, never a second of combat. He talks about his service as the best time of his life.
Some of us see dead and wounded in our sleep.
I was a co-author of the legislation in MN that awarded Vietnam Veterans a cash bonus. It was written, originally, to award veterans of all branches who served in country during the war, whether they were combat troop or recreation leader in Cam Ran Bay. Each veteran was to get a bonus based on months served, minimum $1000. The most vehement opposition to the proposed legislation came from the Minnesota American Legion and the U. of MN Campus Veterans Club (which had no VietVets in its membership). They lobbied hard to make the bonus a Vietnam Era bonus, payable to every MN veteran, whether they served in Vietnam or at Fort Snelling in MN. It wound up an era bonus for $300 for every veteran. My son-in-law's father is close to my age. He did six years Air Force, never a second of combat. He talks about his service as the best time of his life.
Some of us see dead and wounded in our sleep.
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