Four veterans organizations--the National Veteran-Owned Business Association,
Vietnam Veterans of America, the American Legion and Amvets--unanimously objected to two provisions in VA's new rules governing its vets' set-aside program.
"The sad reality is that many veterans are simply unaware they may have health problems related to their military service: diseases, conditions and maladies which entitle them both to medical care and compensation from the VA," said John Rowan, national president of
Vietnam Veterans of America. "Also, most private-sector physicians and other clinicians are unaware of the potential connection between health problems and military service."
* $500 to
Vietnam Veterans of America for their "Salute to Veterans" fundraiser.
Box 29119, Phoenix, AZ 85038-9119;
Vietnam Veterans of America [R], 8605 Cameron Street, Suite 400, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3710; or Military Order of the Purple Heart, MOPH Service Foundation, Inc., P.O Box 9618, Washington, D.C.
Williams co-founded the
Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, which won the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for its international campaign to ban land mines.
In 1983, Robert Muller, founder of the
Vietnam Veterans of America, embarked on a speaking tour of US colleges: 'I swear, the first college I went to, they asked, "What's My Lai, and who is Lieutenant Calley?"' A decade later, in 1994, Tim O'Brien recalled much the same experience: 'In the colleges and high schools I sometimes visit, the mention of My Lai brings on null stares, a sort of puzzlement, disbelief mixed with utter ignorance.'
This collection of articles has its origins in a 2001 symposium sponsored by the
Vietnam Veterans of America. The symposium was intended to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the stunning appearance of these classified documents in the New York Times; the volume itself goes beyond the original purpose.
The book grew out of a 2001 symposium sponsored by the National Press Club and the
Vietnam Veterans of America to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Pentagon Papers, and unfortunately it reads like it.
Commissioned and Maintained By: The Montana Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee, comprising veterans from American Legion Post 27 in Missoula, VFW Post 8017 in Missoula and Post 1548 in Libby, and the
Vietnam Veterans of America Montana State Council.
I joined Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Veterans for Peace,
Vietnam Veterans of America, Pax Christi and several other groups.
"I come out to the ship and work for all of my brothers in the Oahu Chapter 858 of the
Vietnam Veterans of America who can't make it here" said Lester.