Veterans Day is just over two months away, and any organization who wants a simple, free way to make Veterans Day more meaningful for Vietnam Veterans can become the Vietnam War Commemoration’s “commemorative partners.”
The program is for federal, state and local communities, Veterans’ organizations and other nongovernmental organizations. They can assist a grateful nation in thanking and honoring Vietnam Veterans and their families.
More than nine million Americans served from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975. Six million are still living, but commemorative partners can do more.
“These patriots and their families deserve the nation’s gratitude,” said Phil Waite, chief of strategic engagement for The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. “Our partners are the backbone of this national commemoration. We would be privileged to have your organization come alongside us in this noble mission.”
Joining the Vietnam War Commemoration as a commemorative partner is easy. Simply visit www.vietnamwar50th.com and click “Apply” in the blue Commemorative Partner Program box. There’s a simple, one-page application that requires two points of contact and one signature.
Once approved as a partner, the commemoration provides organizations with a free starter kit of materials for developing and implementing their programs. Questions regarding the commemorative partner Program application process can be submitted to: whs.vnwar50th_cpp@mail.mil.
Once a group becomes a partner, they receive a partner portal login. This allows the partner to create an event that is searchable on https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/events/.
Partners can also receive the following free materials:
People can learn about events in their local community by visiting https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/events/. Visitors can search for event by name, date, country, zip code and category. The site also allows visitors to search within a 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 or 100 mile radius of a zip code.
To learn more about partnering with this national commemoration program, visit their site at https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/ or any of the VWC social media sites found at http://linktr.ee/VNWar50th.
The Veterans Day poster for 2021.
People can also download a copy of the Veterans Day poster for 2021.
An author-illustrator of children’s books and advocate for military families is this year’s Veterans Day poster contest winner.
Matt Tavares, of Ogunquit, Maine, works closely with his publisher, Candlewick Press, to support an organization called United Through Reading. Their mission is to connect military families who are separated – by deployment or military assignment – through the shared experience of reading together.
His design idea for this year’s poster contest theme, the Centennial Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, was taken from an illustration he created for a book called Twenty-One Steps.
Download the poster at https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/.
Army Veteran Joe Curtin, director of VA’s National Veterans Outreach Office, contributed to this story.
Richard Bong was enamored of flying from an early age. As a young child, he…
The SVA Census is an annual survey that collects data on student Veterans, alumni, and other…
U.S. Postal Inspection Service and its Operation Protect Veterans campaign want Veterans to be mindful…
VA helped Pete battle alcoholism, live better, and overcome chronic pain. And Pete found a…
During Hispanic Heritage Month, today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran David L. Flores, who served as…
Veterans enrolled in VA health care are eligible to receive a no-cost flu vaccine from…
View Comments
Seriously? There ARE other war veterans out here you know. Nam vets have had MORE THAN THEIR FAIR SHARE of freebies and recognition, it's time for other veterans to have theirs. Let's start with the very, very few remaining World War II vets and the Korean War vets that you people NEVER talk about or acknowledge. The move on to the real Gulf War vets, and I mean pre-Iraq and Afghanistan!!!
Melinda, for decades, the WW II vets dominated at the VA, & in service orgs. Korean vets, not so much, but we Vietnam era vets were kind of the "freckle faced stepkids" everyone spat on & despised, especially those who were "in country". It has only been the past decade we've been recognized at all, that nearly 50 yrs after that war ended. My parents were WW II vets; my sister & I are Vietnam era vets. For many, if not most of us, it was bittersweet to see the 1st Gulf War vets treated as the WW II vets had been; as the heroes they were. We are now the vets dying off in droves every day as we're "aging out". Many of my schoolmates are names on a wall, men who were drafted, who had other hopes & dreams they never got to live, men I grew up with... can you even imagine that?
Thank you for putting it so nicely.
I don't know why I looked at this site, I normally ignore anything concerning the military.
USMC 66 - 69
Melinda,
You are obviously unqualified to make an informed, intelligent comment.
In the future, please refrain from expressing your worthless opinion.
Paul
100% Permanent and Total disabled rated
Viet Nam Vet
Melinda, Your point is noted about other era veterans but Vietnam Vets will never have more than they deserve.
Semper Fi
-A Gulf War vet
Thanks Gulf Marine
We who served in Nam were probably one of the few Groups of vets who received little or no recognition when we returned. Some of us suffered accusations and physical abuse.
I, by no means, mean any lack of respect for the sacrifices made by those who cam both before and after us.
My Dad, father in law, and 3 uncles (WW2 ) and youngest Uncle ( Korea ) received very little recognition / " freebies " during my life. ( cant vouch for before 1950 lol )
All vets , All vets earned their way !
Proud USAF
THIS CHEAP ASS COUNTRY WON'T AUTHORIZE A VIETNAM WAR METAL FOR ALL VETS. JUST THE CHEAP LAPEL PIN
OH BOY
PAUL
Yes. I have had my fair share. 79% PTSD. Coronary artery disease. Agent Orange
We never got anything for nothing.
What don u have to say about. The 58000 that never came home
Please, let's recognise ALL Veterans from all Wars ,Confflicts ,Everyday Service.Because their always at the ready .And give their ALL. From Veitnam Veteran .May GOD BLESS AMERICA,And all those who Served and those Serving Everywhere.
Personally I am disgusted at the above comments. This person must be born after 1970 and never got History in school. As a Marine Veteran of the Vietnam war, it was Our American Citizens which turned their backs on all my fellow Veterans when we came home. Except for the yippies who decided to become Senators and call the rest of us baby killers most of us returned home, started new life, a Family, and just tried to move away from where we had been. It is and always will be the American Citizens who seem to want to brand us for doing what Our Country sent us to do. Then they wanted us out of there. Sound familiar? Look what just happened. Now the same folks just created a whole new Family if Veterans who are made to feel insignificant. It is a small wonder Veterans are coming home with bigtime stress levels when they have to mingle with mindless individuals who have no clue what they are speaking about. GOD BLESS every person who ever wore a uniform and lets hope this never comes to our shores. Maybe then, will YOU get it....
Melinda, honestly there was NEVER A GROUP OF VETERANS so dishonored by their own country as those that served during the Vietnam war. Most of the time it didn't matter if you were a combat vet or returning from some other duty station you still got spit on and called baby killer and had things thrown at you. If you went out off base you better go with a bunch of guys especially you were in uniform. This is how we were treated by our own people and yes there were other wars but NOT ONE OF THEM WAS TREATED LIKE WE WERE WHEN WE CAME HOME! One of the nicest things I have ever had happen since I was in was a few weeks ago a fellow vet saw my hat at a restaurant as I walked by and stood up and shook my hand and said welcome home brother welcome home. That meant more to me than any parade or freebie or recognition and I think that's all any of us wanted was to be welcomed home and never got it, think about that next time you see an old broken vet just welcome him home.
This Army and Air Force Vietnam Veteran was moved by the kind words of the Gulf War Marine! I found the September 7th Post by Melinda disrespectful to this Vietnam Veteran! I know she is entitled to her opinion! Thanks.
All vets matter!
All wars, no matter how long, or where we fight, wars are devastating to someone. We all have lost our brothers in combat...
Maybe! an "All Vets" national commemoration program is in order , eh?
like the poster "HONORING ALL WHO SERVED" maybe change served to SERVE.
Just keep their meaning alive - "Land of the free and the Home of the brave"
Melinda, my husband is Vietnam Navy Veteran who is also sick from chemical exposure during his service and not able to work, is in a wheelchair and needs my help to live on his own. He went from working full time to barely able to hold himself up in a wheelchair in 30 days. I lose 80-100 hours yearly taking him to doctor appointments. We're not receiving any freebies or looking for any. The loan I had to take out to pay his medical bills, equipment, home modification work done by me and 6 months I was out of work to take care of him will be paid off in 6 years when I'm almost 70. I work full time with no plans to stop. I'm not looking for sympathy. These are the facts.
Positive recognition of Vietnam Vets didn't come until 50 years later. I know of Vietnam Veterans who were told by other veterans that they didn't serve during a real war, were spat on when they came home and insulted in many other ways. Vietnam Veterans weren't welcomed home. We kept quiet about his military service to avoid this kind of abuse. No one knew until 5 years ago of his military service. I got sick and tired of people's comments about how he didn't take of himself and told them. People were shocked.A
All veterans deserve respect. It takes a special person to serve. I couldn't do it. I'm thankful for those that did every day.
A Vietnam Vet's wife
I also was not feet on the ground in Vietnam but while traveling in uniform had to be very careful and not be public while in uniform. I am very affected by the way Vietnam veterans were treated for so many years. It is hard to hear the praise now and accept it with grace. I hope that it is not repeated again with Afghanistan veterans. Think how the Washington police are being treated after Jan. 6.