My Greatest Thanks to All Vietnam Vets

by Elizabeth New
(Huttonsville, West Virginia, U.S.A)

My father-in-law was in the 1st Cav division from Nov'66 to Nov'67 in An Khe and my father was in the Navy on the U.S.S. Duluth, in '74 I believe. 90% of the people that I was around when I grew up were all Vietnam vets.

The older I get the more I learn about how you all were treated while serving your country. I am doing a compare and contrast paper for school about how you all were treated when you came home to how our soldiers are treated today.

My name is Elizabeth and I am 30 years old. My husband is a veteran of the Iraq war or "conflict" as the government calls it.

I am so ashamed of how our country treated all of you when you returned from Viet Nam. You guys were doing what was ordered of you by our Nation's government.

It makes me very angry, but at the same time, if it weren't for all of the sacrifices that you all made when you came home, there may have never been all of the advances as far as knowledge of PTSD, which my husband and father-in-law suffer from, but also advances in laws having to do with civilian jobs.

I feel that "thank you" can't be said enough, especially not with all the hell that you had to be put through and the war you had to fight when you got home.

I will say it, even though it is so small. I am so sincerely grateful to all of you Vietnam veterans that are out there, for all of the sacrifices that you made, both over seas and here back home.

Thank you!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!