Veterans

Sometimes I feel that I shouldn't call myself a veteran. Why? Because while I inlisted because I expected to serve in Vietnam, I never made it.

At the time, the war in Vietnam was still not being called a war. I believe they were calling it a "police action" and while our military was suppose to be there as trainers or support, they were engaged in a lot of actual fighting.

I was seventeen and full of patriotic fever. My recruiter assured me that I would be sent to Vietnam as they would be sending a lot of our military there in the coming months. But, instead of sending me to Vietnam, they shipped me to Europe and I spent my three years between France and Germany.

I guess that I was lucky that I didn't have to serve my time in Vietnam, but there are many times when I am talking to those who actually spent there tours there that I feel a little guilty about saying that I am a veteran even though the following article says that even those who did not see action are still considered veterans.

A common misconception is that one had to have either been in combat and/or has retired from active duty to be called a military veteran. Because of this widely held misconception, women have often been excluded from this equation.

The term "veteran" is used for former armed services personnel. A veteran is one who has served in the armed forces, but usually not someone who had a dishonorable discharge. It is especially applied to those who served for an entire career, usually of 20 years or more, but may be applied for someone who has only served one tour of duty.

Visit Veteran On Wikipedia for more on what/who is a veteran.

A while back I had a disagreement with a couple of guys on a forum for vets. They were pretty nasty and said that I was lieing so I'm hoping that there are a few of you that can back me up.

I did my basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas in Nov. and Dec. of 1960. These guys swore that I was making it up because they didn't do basic training in Fort Riley.

Now, I don't know how or when they quit doing it there, but I do know that they did it in 1960. I was wearing the 1st Infantry patch when I left there, but was switched over to Ordinance when I was sent to Fort Benning for my 2nd eight.

Anyone out there that remembers basic in Fort Riley in 1960?

If so, please let me know in the comments section below!




Operation Iraqi Freedom Challenge Coin

3/4-Inch Operation Iraqi Freedom coin. Comes in a protective case. Photo displays both the front and reverse sides of the coin.



Operation Iraqi Freedom Challenge Coin
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Order your Official Department of Defense Service Medals and Ribbons for the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard today.

Here's a little idea that all of the VFW districts might like to think about.

Last year in the weeks before Veterans Day my "Veteran Of The United States Of America" buttons and shirts sold like crazy. Now that Veterans Day is getting close again sales are starting to pick up once more.

The buttons sell (one or two at a time) all year long, but yesterday I received an order for twenty-five packs of ten. It seems that one of the VFW districts want to hand them out to all of the members. I think that this is a great idea!

I know! I would think that it's a good idea because I can use the sales to supplement my social security, but it would be a good idea even if I wasn't selling them because it's a great design and I don't know a veteran who is not proud of his/her service to this great country.

There are also a couple of other designs for veterans but the design pictured below remains the most popular. Why not take a minute and visit Dene's Place to check them all out?

There has been a lot in the news about how bad the conditions and treatments at the VA hospitals are. I go to the VA hospital in Iowa City and so far, I have no major complaints. Oh, there are times when my appointments might be for nine o'clock and I'm still waiting at noon, but I do realize that they are extremely busy.

The doctors that treat me are from the University Hospital and I think that they are probably some of the best doctors in the country.

I have this three by four inch growth in my pelvic area, and they have been treating it for two years now. They still don't know exactly what it is and tell me that it has them puzzled, but they do everything possible to keep me from having all the pain that I was having. And it hasn't grown any in the past year, so something must be going right.

I suppose most people would be griping because the doctors haven't got it figured out, but at this point I'm just happy it isn't growing. After eighteen biopsies, it hasn't come back positive for cancer, so I'm grateful for that.

But then I was speaking about the conditions and treatment at the VA, and I guess that I have nothing really nasty that I can say about mine. The building is a little outdated, but they seem to keep it pretty clean and not like what I've seen on tv.

If you go to another VA hospital, tell us about it by leaving a "blurb" below.

World War I, also known as The First World War, The Great War and "The War To End All Wars," was a global military conflict which took place primarily in Europe between 1914 and 1918. More than nine million soldiers and civilians died. The conflict had a decisive impact on the history of the 20th century.

The Entente Powers, led by France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and later Italy (from 1915) and the United States (from 1917), defeated the Central Powers, led by the Austro-Hungarian, German, and Ottoman Empires. Russia withdrew from the war after the revolution in 1917.

The fighting that took place along the Western Front occurred along a system of trenches, breastworks, and fortifications separated by an area known as no man's land.[2] These fortifications streched 475 miles (more than 600 kilometres)[2] and defined the war for many. On the Eastern Front, the vast eastern plains and limited rail network prevented a trench warfare stalemate, though the scale of the conflict was just as large as on the Western Front. The Middle Eastern Front and the Italian Front also saw heavy fighting, while hostilities also occurred at sea, and for the first time, in the air.

The war caused the disintegration of four empires: the Austro-Hungarian, German, Ottoman and Russian. Germany lost its colonial empire and states such as Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Yugoslavia gained independence. The cost of waging the war set the stage for the breakup of the British Empire as well and left France devastated for more than a generation.

World War I marked the end of the world order which had existed after the Napoleonic Wars, and was an important factor in the outbreak of World War II.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a worldwide military conflict; the amalgamation of two separate conflicts, one beginning in Asia, 1937, as the Second Sino-Japanese War and the other beginning in Europe, 1939, with the invasion of Poland. It is regarded as the historical successor to World War I.

This global conflict split a majority of the world's nations into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. Spanning much of the globe, World War II resulted in the deaths of over 70 million people, making it the deadliest conflict in human history.[1]

World War II was the most widespread war in history, and countries involved mobilized more than 100 million military personnel. Total war erased the distinction between civil and military resources and saw the complete activation of a nation's economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities for the purposes of the war effort; nearly two-thirds of those killed in the war were civilians. For example, nearly 11 million of the civilian casualties were victims of the Holocaust, which was largely conducted in Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union.

The conflict ended in an Allied victory. As a result, the United States and Soviet Union emerged as the world's two leading superpowers, setting the stage for the Cold War for the next 45 years. Self determination gave rise to decolonization/independence movements in Asia and Africa, while Europe itself began traveling the road leading to integration.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Vietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War. The term has been used to describe veterans who were in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States armed forces, and countries allied to them, whether or not they were actually stationed in Vietnam during their service. However, the more common usage distinguishes between those who served "in country" and those who did not actually serve in Vietnam by referring to the "in country" veterans as "Vietnam veterans" and the others as "Vietnam era veterans." The U.S. government officially refers to all as "Vietnam era veterans."

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) of 1974 states, "A Vietnam era veteran is:
1. A person who served on active duty for a period of more than 180 days, any part of which occurred between August 5, 1964 and May 7, 1975, and was discharged or released with other than a dishonorable discharge.
2. Was discharged or released from active duty for a service connected disability if any part of such active duty was performed between August 5, 1964 and May 7, 1975.
3. Served on active duty for more than 180 days and served in the Republic of Vietnam between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975; such as J. Lee, 1951."

More than 58,000 US personnel died as a result of the conflict. This comprises deaths from all categories including deaths while missing, captured, non-hostile deaths, homicides, and suicides. The US Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes veterans that served in the country then known as the Republic of Vietnam from February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975, as being eligible for such programs as the department's Readjustment Counseling Services program (aka Vet Centers)

History of the Vietnam War

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.